Building Faithful Citizenship for March 2, 2008 Jesus cured the man born blind but he was unable to help the religious leaders accept their own blindness. The Spirit of Jesus in present in the church to help us ―see‖ clearly our responsibility as ―faithful citizens.‖ The bishops ask us and the candidates how we can ―keep our nation from turning to violence to address fundamental problems‖ including: abortion, euthanasia, the death penalty, and ―imprudent resort to war‖ (Faithful Citizenship #90). As ―faithful citizens‖ are we working to reduce violence in its many forms in our communities and in our attitudes? Building Faithful Citizenship for March 9, 2008 Today’s readings remind us that Jesus was no austere hermit; he lived in the world, passionately loved his friends, and deeply mourned Lazurus, risking death to bring him back to life. In their recent document, The Challenge of Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, the U.S. Catholic Bishops remind us of life's inherent value when they say, "The basic right to life implies and is linked to other human rights - to the goods that every person needs to live and thrive - including food, shelter, health care, education, and meaningful work.‖ Does your vote reflect a concern for the lives and well-being of others, a willingness to risk something of value for the good of all? Building Faithful Citizenship for Palm Sunday, March 16, 2008 Jesus' entry into Jerusalem stands out as an act of non-violent witness against the oppressive Roman occupiers and exploitative temple authorities. Jesus did not sneak into the holy city. He entered humbly yet boldly, announcing the kingdom of God, proclaiming God's compassion and justice, especially for the poor and the powerless. He entered in a way that challenged the ruling powers to deal with him. Their attempt to silence him with the cross failed. Our Lord's prayer expresses his desire that God's will be done "on earth", as in heaven. Jesus calls us today to bring about the transformation of our world. As "faithful citizens", we have a moral obligation to participate in the political process - by voting, running for office, advocating for moral and just public policies, making our voices heard, and promoting the common good. Do we have the courage and conviction to make Jesus' voice heard today? Building Faithful Citizenship for Palm Sunday, March 23, 2008 It is Easter! Once again, we, the Church, the People of God, have walked with Jesus towards a deeper understanding of life and death, resurrection and salvation. Hopefully, as we have gone through another cycle of readings, lessons, prayers and reflections we have deepened our ability to live the Gospel message calling us to a life of service and love, to being servants of God and faithful citizens. The Colossians reading for Easter Sunday says to the faithful, ―Let your thoughts be on heavenly things.‖ This is not an invitation to reflect on halos and harps. Paul is reminding us of what those heavenly things are: love of neighbor, justice, mercy, truth…whatever makes up the reign of God. As you continue to follow the path of the Christ, how will you ―live‖ these heavenly things into reality in our day-to-day world? It is Easter! Christ is with us! Building Faithful Citizenship for March 30, 2008 Fear is a powerful human emotion - sometimes leading us to act contrary to the way of Jesus. In today’s Gospel Jesus finds the disciples gathered in fear behind locked doors. His presence and his words, peace be with you, calm their fears. The gift of the Holy Spirit makes grace available – they experienced joy and hope that enabled them to open the doors. Our U.S. Catholic Bishops teach in their pastoral statement, Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, ―A more just world will likely be a more peaceful world, a world less vulnerable to terrorism and other violence;‖ and, the Bishops recall the words of Pope Benedict XVI, ―…the redeeming love we
encounter in the Eucharist should shape our thoughts, our words, our decisions, including those that pertain to the social order.‖ Reflection: During this Easter season, reflect on how love for God and neighbor can help us overcome fear. Building Faithful Citizenship for April 6, 2008 Today's readings make clear that the days following Jesus' death were troubling for his disciples. They had believed that Jesus would lead a revolution to overthrow Rome and free Jerusalem. Instead, it seemed as if those in power had won. When Jesus broke bread with them, their hearts filled with insight. They returned to Jerusalem with a new understanding of God's redemptive love, compassion and justice. Bringing that understanding to public life requires us to be guided by moral convictions, rather than attachment to political goals or interests. The US bishops tell us that our actions in the public sphere should be, "focused on the dignity of every human being, the pursuit of the common good, and the protection of the weak and the vulnerable." (Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship) How are you called to work for a just society? Building Faithful Citizenship for April 13, 2008 ―I came that you might have life and have it more abundantly.‖ (Jn. 10:10) At the heart of the message on this Good Shepherd Sunday, Jesus promotes a fuller life for all people. Our challenge is to hear Christ’s voice and follow it in order to embrace that life. In ―Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship,‖ The US Bishops remind us that this goal of abundant life is very similar to a founding principle of our country: ―life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.‖ (#2) When we follow our conscience and work to be citizens of faith, we are obligated to be people who promote an abundant life for all God’s people. What does an ―abundant life‖ look like – is it something other than material wealth? What blocks our society from promoting a fuller life for all? What can I do now to promote this fuller life for all? Building Faithful Citizenship for April 20, 2008 With Jesus as our cornerstone, we are the living stones of the church. The diversity of these stones, the people of God, is recognized in all three readings. A living church requires people of different talents, interests, and strengths. But we will only do the things of Christ if we remember the command to love God and one another; this is the root of all Catholic social teaching Reflection: As we make judgments about political platforms and candidates for public office, let our measure of evaluation be whether policies and actions affirm the dignity of all people made in the likeness and image of God. Building Faithful Citizenship for April 27, 2008 Jesus promises that he and the Father will give his disciples ―another Advocate to be with you always, the Spirit of truth.‖ In this election year our bishops remind us that ―decisions about political life are complex and require the exercise of a well-formed conscience aided by prudence. (Faithful Citizenship #31). As we face these complex decisions we need to listen to the Advocate, the Spirit of truth, so that we make wise decisions in the voting booth but also as we live out the values of our faith in our daily lives. Reflection: Are we bringing these political decisions to prayerful reflection and an openness to the Spirit of Jesus, the Spirit of truth?
Building Faithful Citizenship for May 4, 2008 John’s Gospel reflects the deep love and concern Jesus has for his disciples. According to the U.S. Bishops’ Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, ―Christ’s love for us lets us see our human dignity in full clarity and compels us to love our neighbors as he has loved us. Christ, the Teacher, shows us what is true and good, that is, what is in accord with our human nature as free, intelligent beings created in God’s image and likeness and endowed by the Creator with dignity and rights.‖ (No.9) Reflection: Are we working as citizens and voting so that "the dignity and rights" of each person are respected? Building Faithful Citizenship for May 11, 2008 Fear is a powerful human emotion - sometimes leading us to act contrary to the way of Jesus. In today’s Gospel Jesus finds the disciples gathered in fear behind locked doors. His presence and his words, ―Peace be with you,‖ calm their fears. The gift of the Holy Spirit makes grace available – they experience joy and hope that enables them to open the doors. Our U.S. Catholic Bishops teach in their pastoral statement, Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, ―A more just world will likely be a more peaceful world, a world less vulnerable to terrorism and other violence;‖ and, the Bishops recall the words of Pope Benedict XVI, ―…the redeeming love we encounter in the Eucharist should shape our thoughts, our words, our decisions, including those that pertain to the social order.‖ Reflection: Celebrate Pentecost! - reflect on how love for God and neighbor can help us overcome fear. Building Faithful Citizenship for May 18, 2008 A call to intimacy could be seen as the sum of the message of the readings offered to us this week. ―God loved the world so much.‖ ―Greet one another with a holy kiss.‖ ―…forgive us our faults and our sins, and adopt us as your heritage.‖ The call to intimacy is the call to love – the ultimate call from our God. Intimacy is not only a close, loving relationship; it is also a ―detailed knowledge or deep understanding of a place or subject.‖ The call to intimacy includes relationship and responsibility. Being a committed member of a family, a church, a community, a country, a world body requires our dedication to growing in love and knowledge. Reflection: Is there any relationship of faith, family, community or country that I am taking for granted? Building Faithful Citizenship for May 25, 2008 In today's gospel, we are reminded that Jesus is the "living bread" who gives life to all. But the life we receive is not to be hoarded. It must be given away. Jesus also says "As the Father has sent me, so I send you." As a Eucharistic people, we are to be "living bread" by ministering to our brothers and sisters in a world hungry for compassion, justice, and peace. Accordingly, the US Bishops, in Faithful Citizenship, urge us to embrace our political responsibilities fully, advocating for the common good, and bringing moral vision to our system of governance. Reflection: Would my political choices and policy preferences offer "living bread" for all, or would they nourish a privileged few? Will my political choices and actions bring life to those in need? Building Faithful Citizenship for June 1, 2008 As today's reading makes clear, in order to build a solid foundation for our lives, we must both hear Jesus' words, and act on them. But how to act? The Church equips us to address political and social questions by helping us with the "serious and lifelong obligation to form our consciences in accord with human reason and the teaching of the Church." Formation of conscience requires; "willingness and openness to seek the truth and what is right by studying Sacred Scripture and the teaching of the Church,‖ examining "the facts and background information about various choices,‖ and "prayerful reflection". (The Challenge of Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship.) With this foundation, Catholics are better able to evaluate policy positions, platforms, and candidates’ promises and actions in order to help build a better world. Reflection: How are you working to develop your conscience?
Building Faithful Citizenship for June 8, 2008 ―I desire mercy, not sacrifice.‖ With these words, our Lord challenges both us and our culture to adopt a stance that reaches out to the sinner, inviting each person to come to know Christ’s love and healing forgiveness. If Christ seeks mercy, shouldn’t we as well? The U.S. bishops model this when they write, for example, ―An ethic of responsibility, rehabilitation, and restoration should be a foundation for the reform of our broken criminal justice system. A remedial, rather than a strictly punitive, approach to offenders should be developed.‖ (#85, Faithful Citizenship) Reflection question: When I look at the political options before me, do I seek propositions and people who speak of mercy more than punishment, of reconciliation more than retribution? Building Faithful Citizenship for June 15, 2008 Jesus, seeing suffering and disease in Israel, instructs his disciples to proclaim God’s kingdom, by giving health, healing and life. His heart is ―moved with pity‖ for the suffering he sees. Our Catholic faith reflects Jesus’ compassion and upholds the dignity of all human life. In Faithful Citizenship, the U.S. Catholic Bishops say, ―We revere the lives of children in the womb, the lives of persons dying in war and from starvation, and indeed the lives of all human beings as children of God.‖ (no.43). They also remind us that our faith is to be lived out in the world. ―The Church’s obligation to participate in shaping the moral character of society is a requirement of our faith.‖ (no.9) Reflection: Do the candidates that we are considering espouse policies that are life giving? Do we insist that our leaders protect the vulnerable lives of the newly conceived and medically fragile? Are the candidates’ polices such that justice and mercy meet and individuals whose lives are troubled and troublesome have the opportunity for healing and growth? Building Faithful Citizenship for June 22, 2008 Jeremiah praises God ―for he has rescued the life of the poor from the power of the wicked!‖ The words of the prophet echo through the centuries of Jewish and Christian Scripture. Our Catholic social teaching picks up that biblical perspective in the principle of God’s ―preference‖ or ―option for the poor and vulnerable.‖ As we face political choices, our bishops explain that, ―Our cause‖ as a Church, ―is the defense of human life and dignity and the protection of the weak and vulnerable‖ (Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, #57). Reflection: Do we live out an option for the poor and vulnerable in the way we live? Do we try to buy ―fair trade‖ products? Do we try to protect all of life by our economic and political choices? Building Faithful Citizenship for June 29 Today we celebrate the lives of two giants in the Church, Saints Peter and Paul; men whose immense passion and love of God was matched only by their great sins. Like Peter and Paul, all who strive to be followers of Jesus struggle to discern right from wrong and to overcome fear and misperceptions that lead us from love. In their document, Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, the U.S. Catholic Bishops remind us that ―Racism and other unjust discrimination, the use of the death penalty, resorting to unjust war, the use of torture, war crimes, the failure to respond to those who are suffering from hunger or a lack of healthcare, or an unjust immigration policy are all serious moral issues that challenge our consciences and require us to act.‖ (#29) Are your political views shaped by those who play up fears and isolation or by Christ who calls us all to work from a foundation of love and inclusion?
Building Faithful Citizenship for July 6 Jesus’ words in today’s Gospel are comforting and challenging. We are happy to find in Jesus rest and refreshment from the burdens and the worries of daily life. However, this is not escape, but renewal that enables us to continue our journey of discipleship and helps us to see and respond to the burdens and the worries of our
poor and vulnerable brothers and sisters. In their pastoral, Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, our United States Catholic Bishops help us understand this: ―Christ’s love for us lets us see our human dignity in full clarity and compels us to love our neighbors as he has loved us….charity must animate the entire lives of the lay faithful and therefore also their political activity, lived as social charity.‖ REFLECTION: What burdens or worries us these days? How does the Eucharist and the support of our faith community help us to avoid becoming discouraged or disengaged? Building Faithful Citizenship for July 13 Matthew’s telling of the Parable of the Seed is the beginning of a wonderful chapter of Jesus’ parables – stories we have grown up with and can recall with merely a word or phrase. Stories are a culture’s life blood; they focus us and strengthen our moral center for generations. Our faith is lived out in good deeds; our deeds become our stories; our stories become our faith tradition; our faith tradition becomes our teaching tool for future generations. Our moment of history is our opportunity to add to the story of our Christian faith with our deeds and our faithful actions. Reflection: As a baptized person, who is also a parent, a citizen, a teacher…what story am I leaving for future generations to learn from, and to aspire to? Building Faithful Citizenship for July 20 Jesus likens the kingdom of heaven to a mustard seed and yeast - things unremarkable in themselves, yet with latent power to produce marvelous results. We, too, can help grow the kingdom in the here and now, by living Jesus' command to "love one another." As we survey the political landscape, we can easily become cynical and withdrawn, convincing ourselves nothing can be done to change politics, rectify injustice, or alleviate lethal poverty. However, our Bishops remind us (in Faithful Citizenship) that we have a "moral obligation" to participate in political life. "We are called to bring together our principles and our political choices, our values and our votes, to help build a better world." (§14) Reflection: Imagine the power of millions of "faithful citizens" embedding their mustard seeds or yeast into the political life of our nation! Building Faithful Citizenship for July 27 In today’s reading from 1Kings, God was so pleased with Solomon’s unselfish request for an ―understanding heart‖ that God blessed Solomon with great wisdom. Attaining wisdom can be challenging for voters as voices on every side present opposing positions on issues as varied as stem-cell research, treatment of immigrants, economics, war and fuel prices. Perhaps a measure for that wisdom can be found in the U.S. Catholic bishops call to a consistent ethic of life that ―,,,provides a moral framework for principled Catholic engagement in political life and, rightly understood, neither treats all issues as morally equivalent nor reduces Catholic teaching to one or two issues. It anchors the Catholic commitment to defend human life, from conception until natural death, in the fundamental moral obligation to respect the dignity of every person as a child of God.‖ (Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship #40) Reflection: Do I vote as if I believe that God is present in every human being? Building Faithful Citizenship for August 3 Where is the hand of God in our day and age? Isaiah reminds us today that when the thirsty drink heartily and the hungry are filled, there God is, renewing the ―everlasting covenant‖ with us. When the sick are cured and people sit together to celebrate the feast of life, there is God’s presence found again. In short, where love works to counter human suffering, there is God. The Church has an obligation, as cited by the US Catholic Bishops, to form our consciences in such a way that we counter such suffering by keenly focusing on the ―dignity of every human being, the pursuit of the common good, and the protection of the weak and vulnerable.‖ (Faithful Citizenship, §14) Our works of love help make real the hand of God.
When you listen to political speeches this campaign season, what kind of rhetoric are you more likely to hear? The kind that reveals the loving hand of God, or a ―fist?‖ Building Faithful Citizenship for August 10 Hearing and acting on the voice of God requires a certain discipline. We need to find quiet time to listen for God’s voice of love. We need to understand the teachings of our faith and how they relate to the world. The US Bishops remind us in Faithful Citizenship that ―conscience is not something that allows us to justify doing whatever we want, not is it a mere ―feeling‖ about what we should do or should not do. Rather conscience is the voice of God resounding in the human heart, revealing the truth to us and calling us to do what is good while shunning evil. Conscience always requires serious attempts to make sound moral judgments based on the truth of our faith.‖ Are we preparing for the upcoming election by studying the teachings of our Church on the moral issues such as abortion, war, euthanasia, economic injustice and capital punishment? Are we praying for courage to insist that our leaders recognize the dignity of all human beings? Building Faithful Citizenship for August 17 In our reading from Isaiah today we hear: ―Thus says the Lord: Observe what is right, do what is just.‖ Our bishops remind us that, as members of a community of faith, we have resources and assets for sorting out what is ―right and just‖ in the political arena. ―The Catholic community brings important assets to the political dialogue about our nation’s future. We bring a consistent moral framework—drawn from basic human reason that is illuminated by Scripture and the teaching of the Church… We also bring broad experience in serving those in need…‖ (Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, #12). Reflection: How does your experience of serving those in need help you to make political choices that are ―right and just‖? Are you seeking a consistent moral framework that is informed by Scripture and the teaching of the Church?