Bishops attend a Nov. 16, 2022, session of the autumn general assembly of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in Baltimore. (CNS photo/Bob Roller)
VIEW FROM THE PEW
Hasn’t this been a headache of a month to this point? We survived all of the noise and absurd guarantees, nasty accusations and dire predictions. Whether you were tuned into the red spin or blue spin, it’s been like living within the midst of a rock-crushing operation. I admit that as a news junkie, I willingly had my head within the grinder for months. But I finally selected to step into the white space of our red, white and blue world. I fasted for just a few days from the news and focused on the white dove of peace a.k.a. the Holy Spirit. Wheee, decompression and cleared vision.
What do you recognize, when the dust settled, the lights were still on and democracy survived, because of the thoughtful residents who took ballots in hand as an alternative of clubs and guns. And to the committed government professionals who keep the system working. God bless the minions.
Not that it’s ever going to be all quiet on the democracy front. I’m just hoping that the herd of politicians, influencers, commentators, predictors will calm down, tamp down their blaming, bragging, whining, denying voices, and find their very own white space.
Stop talking and listen
It’s time to stop talking and listen, folks. What were they saying in line on the polling place, those drained people making a fast stop between two jobs needed to maintain their very own home lights and furnace on, old-timers whose incomes now not cover the grocery bill or medical care costs. Much more urgent is to hearken to the youngest newest voters with awakening awareness of what’s missing on this politicized world they may inherit.
Not to show away from the intense subject at hand, but there’s one comic commentator I encounter here and there who knows my penchant for dredging up some old song as a theme. He suggested I consider the “Battle Hymn of the Republic” and the likelihood that it’s time that God will “loose the fateful lightning of his terrible swift sword.” I’m afraid he takes the pre-Christmas liturgical readings concerning the end times very seriously.
I wasn’t intending to shrug him off once I said that my theme song for this election end times is devoted to the hordes of politicians who just never need to let go. I’m pondering Kenny Rogers’ advice from “The Gambler” will be applied beyond gamblers. the verse, “You gotta know when to carry ‘em, know when to fold ‘em, know when to walk away, know when to run.” Fill in your individual suggestions for individuals who should just be “walking away.”
One other acquaintance, who loves horoscopes and knows my disdain for that ancient type of scamming, was finding signs and portents concerning the elections. Really, we want to care about planets in alignment? We have now our hands full minding this planet.
But then I play an analogous game of signs and portents. I discovered myself the day by day Mass readings hoping for an “aha” moment, some Scripture passage so significant for the occasion. My distracted, meandering reading in the course of the election season didn’t have an “aha” moment.
The season of elections was still upon us last week. It generated some charged and significant headlines but not locally; you should seek for them. Few Catholics are even aware of the workings of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the church bureaucracy in our country. At their fall meeting Nov. 15-17 in Baltimore, they voted for brand spanking new officers.
When you thought that this was an election free from politics, you’d probably be mistaken.
Within the hands of humans
How can we be surprised; it’s an establishment left within the hands of humans not angels. In comparison with the 240-plus years our country has needed to evolve beyond its noble, lofty declaration of being, we’re 2,000 years of Christianity and its evolving institutions. Uncountable humans have had hands on the church for the reason that compassionate Son of God brought his message of affection and forgiveness. Ages later we keep reminding ourselves about our roots, but sometimes we lose our path from the Sermon on the Mount.
About last week’s election, “There’s no white smoke here,” wrote a Religion News Service reporter, a wry comparison to the ceremony when a pope is elected and the importance of that event.
Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, the brand new president of the U.S. Conference of Bishops, told reporters, “If there may be any option to insert the Gospel into all points of life in our country, I actually is not going to miss any occasion to try this.” Archbishop Broglio, 70, who heads the U.S. Archdiocese for the Military Services, said he didn’t see the conference president role as “primarily political” but that he wouldn’t shrink back from public debates, based on the Religion News Service, an independent news agency.
Nonetheless, he faced pointed questions from reporters about actions, seen as political and controversial, that he has taken during his profession as military services prelate and former assignments with the Vatican.
Several Catholic and secular news agencies and organizations interpreted the election of Archbishop Broglio, and Archbishop William E. Lori of the Baltimore diocese as vice chairman, as very much political.
Commentators for the Jesuit America magazine, National Catholic Reporter, the Associated Press and newspapers here and abroad discover the brand new officers as conservative by way of Catholic Church teachings in addition to their reference to American politics.
Some writers interpreted the election result as an announcement of opposition to Pope Francis, with a slate minus more moderate clergy and significantly not including any bishops whom Francis has elevated to cardinals. The votes weren’t unanimous among the many 239 bishops casting ballots.
The keynote speaker on the conference was the papal nuncio. Archbishop Christophe Pierre emphasized that the church has a missionary role to spread the Gospel. He reminded the bishops of Pope Francis’ image of the church as a field hospital, which must work at healing those that are wounded. He said that involves listening, showing patience and having respectful dialogue within the midst of a culture that’s experiencing a lot division.
Resuming my fast
Beyond that, I leave it to you to look up the various things written about this election and the politics involved. I’m resuming my fast, retreating to my white zone of peace of mind.
I admit I used to be scouring the liturgies for Nov. 15-17 hoping for significant readings that will strike deep chords within the clergy crowd. OK, yes, I used to be wishing it was time for the reading of the Sermon on the Mount, the seminal charge to take care of the hungry, poor, sick, immigrant, disaffected and discarded people. I used to be really, really wishing that by some miraculous timing, the parents who laid out this November’s liturgy years ago, might need used the Gospel account of Jesus sending forth the apostles, his first batch of bishops:
“He summoned the Twelve and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases.” And he sent them to proclaim the dominion of God and to heal.
He said to them, “Take nothing for the journey, neither a walking stick, nor a sack, nor food, nor money, and let nobody take a second tunic.”
Or more appropriate perhaps, can be when Jesus sent the following batch of missionaries, the 72 disciples, with similar instructions saying, “Behold, I’m sending you want lambs amongst wolves.”
Each times, when Jesus sent out his followers to start out taking over their role he cautioned them that “as for individuals who don’t welcome you, once you leave that town, shake the dust out of your feet in testimony against them.”
Well, there’s plenty of dark and dirty spots on this country that need dust shaken and shoveled away, spiritually, in addition to literally. My prayers and thanks go to those that selected to tackle the sweeping, be they politico or prelate.
Halleluiah, it’s time to flip the calendar page from this tumultuous month.
Let’s make next month a time of selections for good as we head into the intense light of Christmas. I’m starting with a box of food into the food pantry bin Sunday. And listening. I plan to do lots of that.
I modified my mind, here’s my latest theme song selection for December. “Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me. Let there be peace on earth, the peace that was meant to be.”
