RBWords - Volume 29 - Number 11: November 2016
Something to Think About
RBWORDS – VOLUME 29 – NUMBER 10 – OCTOBER 2016
SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT –
As I write this, it is almost Halloween, but at least the efforts to be frightening are only temporary. An even more frightening event confronts us on November 8th which is Election Day. Thank the Lord for early voting. On October 24th, the first day of early voting in Texas, I voted at a polling station in the grocery store before shopping! It seemed a bit surreal to be voting in such a mundane place but life goes on after one votes, and that will happen after November 8th, no matter who wins the election. Our country will manage to muddle through. It’s hard to believe that some folks are literally speaking of revolution if their particular candidate doesn’t win. It’s all part of so much irresponsible speech that is protected by our constitution, but worrisome nonetheless.
I think it is a good exercise to examine one’s political views to see how they square with what we know of Jesus’ words in the New Testament. Unfortunately, many people know more about their political views than they do of the gospels, which can mean their religious faith is formed by their politics rather than the other way around. A quick reading of Matthew 25:31-45 with its list of what Jesus’ says is the criteria for final judgment could challenge certain political attitudes about immigration, health care, concern for the homeless, etc. One can also go to the Old Testament account in Genesis of the creation of the human person in the image and likeness of God to find support for a consistent ethic of life – protecting it from womb to tomb. Those scriptural words (and many others in the Bible) are not political speeches. They are divine revelation. We ignore them at our eternal peril. They should shape our politics. As much as we revere The Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution (with its Bill of Rights), those are not the revelation to which we are called by faith and baptism and by which we are ultimately judged. This makes voting a difficult and sad experience in this particular election year. Our country may “muddle through,” but we can do better. My prayer is that we will. AMEN
SCHEDULES AND EVENTS
The month of October seems to have flown by! The two major events for me were a retreat (the second of two) for Permanent Deacons and spouses from the Lubbock diocese. It went well. The second was the visit of the Master of the Order (our head honcho) from Rome which included a celebration here in Lubbock followed by a BIG celebration in the Dallas area with Dominican friars, sisters and laity from many areas in the South and elsewhere in the country. A good time was had by all!
The months from October to May generally feature travel for me. In November I will visit close friends in North Carolina (Nov. 1-5), preach a retreat for retired Dominican sisters in Springfield, IL (Nov 12-19), provide commentary for the ordination of the new bishop of Lubbock (Nov. 21), and travel home to celebrate Thanksgiving with family (Nov. 22-29). This will be the first time in 5 years that I’ve been able to do this. As for Halloween, I hope everyone will have a safe celebration. Sad to say, but Halloween decorations seem side by side with Christmas decorations in stores now!
IT HAS BEEN SAID: “How am I to find the strength to live as a free man, detached from all that was unjust in my past and all that is petty in my present, and so, daily, to forgive myself? Life will judge me by the measure of love I myself am capable of, and with patience according to the measure of my honesty in attempting to meet its demands, and with an equity before which the feeble explanations and excuses of self-importance carry no weight whatsoever.”
From MARKINGS by Dag Hammarskjold
<< Previous Date [Back to List]
Next Date >>