In one of his most famous songs, the great Blues singer Bo Diddley asked, “Who Do You Love?” It’s a good question.
In recent days, a lot is being said and supposed concerning the upcoming election. Information and opinions fly from both sides and a central theme is clear. Each side is convinced that their candidate will be the salvation of America and (heaven forbid) should the opponent win, life as we know it will cease to exist.
I could be wrong but for this particular election cycle, at this particular point in time, the nation seems to be more polarized than ever. Most everyone I’ve spoken with is informed about the “issues” as they have been fed on the news programs. These professionally proffered positions have been highly polished and are shiny and attractive to those in the market for a good story; especially if that story happens to agree with their own politics and opinions.
What I find troublesome about the situation is the disordered nature of it all. The people on both sides that I’ve talked to are versed in their candidate’s position on numerous issues and can spout statistics and party lines and even recount, with stunning accuracy, soundbites and such that their team’s guy has put out going back weeks. The nearly total recall of minute facets of these political exchanges by the people I’ve talked to is astounding. Beyond that, the detailed prophecies by each side as to what will happen when either guy gets elected has clearly been painstakingly thought out.
However, when I asked these same folks, many of whom are members of my local church community, about what the Bible readings for Sunday were, or what Father’s homily was about, I heard long, deafening silence. I suspect most spent far greater time this week listening to political commentators than listening to a podcast by Bishop Barron or Scott Hahn or one of the many other excellent, contemporary theologians. That’s why I say that all this focus on the political landscape is disordered.
Psalm 146:3 says….(I’m paraphrasing)
“Put not your trust in princes or the children of men, in whom there is no salvation.”
I’m not saying that we should be ignorant of, or not be concerned about the political leaders of this country. I’m simply asking the question of why are we more versed in what politicians are saying than what the true Savior said and is still saying through scripture, tradition, homilies and the magisterium? Why can we spout, with such great evangelistic zeal and precision, the temporal positions of our short term leaders but cannot, or do not, offer so much as an inclination to evangelizing for the REAL Savior?
At a minimum, our faith tradition should be the filter through which we sort, clarify and classify what is being offered. Done carefully, the filtering will reveal first that both groups are human beings with inherent dignity as such. Second, God loves THEM as much as He loves US…whichever THEM or US you are. Be Christian first. Perhaps consider evangelizing for Christ before candidate.
We’re fully willing to talk about the things we “know” even if that knowledge comes from dubious sources such as the popular media. My sense of it is that if we knew our faith tradition(s) as well as we know our political positions, we’d be evangelizing daily…for Christ, rather than evangelizing for our pick for the Oval Office.
We are commanded to “love your neighbor…” and “love your enemy”. Notice that the scripture does not say that we are to have “feelings” of love for our neighbor and enemy. To “love”, in the commandment is a verb. C.S. Lewis put it best when he said, “When you treat someone as if you love him, you will presently come to love him.” So, I ask you…..who do you love?
May God continue to guide your head, hands and heart.
