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October 24, 2016(Read homily below, or Listen on Soundcloud)
We all want to go home justified. The Pharisee goes home only feeling justified. The tax collector who is not convinced of his own righteousness actually is justified because he hands over his whole heart and mind to God. We all want to be justified, vindicated, approved by God in our daily decisions, our time of prayer, and of course we want to be justified by God after we turn in our ballot for voting. Can you guess where this homily is going?With the election around the corner, Fr. John and I want to give you some guidelines for Faithful Citizenship. In these words we hear “faith” and “citizen.” The reality of participating in God’s life in faith is never separate from the reality of participating in political life as a citizen. Rather, Christians have a unique and therefore obligatory responsibility in proclaiming the Good News of the Gospel to civil society. In Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, the United States bishops write, “It is as citizens faithful to the Lord Jesus that we contribute most effectively to the civil order” (FCFC, pg 6). Good Christians make good citizens. Therefore, Christians do have a moral obligation to vote in order to be good citizens and help create a good society.
Why is that? Because Christians listen to Christ, the King of the Universe, who rules with justice, truth, and goodness. The Church is governed by Christ, not by her members nor by any civil authority. If we only listen to the rulers of this world and not to the Jesus the Ruler of the Universe, then the dignity and rights due to others will be gravely lacking. Only in Christ’s Gospel of Life is love of God and love of neighbor fulfilled, and as Christians participating in political life we are the only ones able to promote these fully and consistently.
As you consider who to vote for, I want to remind you to listen to Jesus and let him form your conscience so that you can fulfill the commandment to love God and your neighbor and vote for candidates who will do the same. The US bishops urge us to listen to Christ by not endorsing a candidate’s intrinsically evil platform. Intrinsically evil acts refer to moral actions that are always evil regardless of any good intentions and circumstances to the contrary. Intrinsically evil acts are ones in which human beings are always harmed, and so the love of neighbor is never fulfilled in them.
The bishops give examples of this in Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, stating, “A Catholic cannot vote for a candidate who favors a policy promoting an intrinsically evil act, such as abortion, euthanasia, assisted suicide, deliberately subjecting workers or the poor to subhuman living conditions, redefining marriage in ways that violate its essential meaning, or racist behavior, if the voter’s intent is to support that position. In such cases, a Catholic would be guilty of formal cooperation in grave evil” (FCFC, 34). If we support the evil platform, we cooperate in the evil.
Even if a candidate holds some good positions rather than evil ones, we must look to see if the candidate holds any grave violations of the right to life and human dignity. The bishops note that while Catholics are not single-issue voters, “yet if a candidate’s position on a single issue promotes an intrinsically evil act, such as legal abortion, redefining marriage in a way that denies its essential meaning, or racist behavior, a voter may legitimately disqualify a candidate from receiving support” (FCFC, 42).
The question many of us have regarding bipartisan politics is, “What if I don’t support either candidate?” As is often the case, both candidates endorse intrinsically evil platforms and so it seems we must choose between the lesser of two evils. Archbishop Chaput recently wrote, “This year, a lot of good people will skip voting for president but vote for the “down ticket” names on their party’s ballot; or vote for a third party presidential candidate; or not vote at all; or find some mysterious calculus that will allow them to vote for one or the other of the major candidates. I don’t yet know which course I’ll personally choose. It’s a matter properly reserved for every citizen’s informed conscience.” Then Chaput adds, “The next few months will determine the next decade and more of our nation’s life. We need to be awake, we need to clear our heads of media noise, and we need to think quietly and carefully before we vote. None of us can afford to live the coming weeks on autopilot.”
Chaput helps us see the long-term implications of voting for one candidate or another, of not voting for any candidate, or of doing ‘down ticket’ write-ins. He leaves this decision to each of us, but once again calls attention to making this choice with a well-formed conscience, and this, he notes, requires persistent prayer, becoming awake to listen to Jesus in our daily living, and thinking carefully before we submit our ballot. There is a lot at stake in this election. We are not meant to just show up to vote, pray a Hail Mary, and see how it goes. Do your research now. See if the candidates you like endorse any intrinsic evil. Take all of your deliberation to pra yer . Your thoughtful prayer will help form your conscience to think with the mind of Christ and act in rhythm with the beat of his Sacred Heart. Only in this way will you go home justified like the tax collector, not feeling self-satisfied with your personal choice, but knowing you made the conscientious choice as your response of listening to Jesus.
There’s no denying the difficulty in choosing the good for the upcoming election. My hope which is shared by the Church is that this homily will offer you a strong moral framework that is faithful to the Church to help you to make good, conscientious decisions for the upcoming election. See your role in voting as an opportunity to put on the mind and heart of Christ. Vote with the intention of loving Christ and your neighbor.
The election can be divisive so we keep Jesus and Eucharistic communion first and foremost. Remember, this election will pass, but the unity of the church will endure.
