“Christian, recognize your dignity and, now that you share in God’s own nature, do not return to your former base condition by sinning. Remember who is your head and of whose body you are a member. Never forget that you have been rescued from the power of darkness and brought into the light of the Kingdom of God.”
Vaticana, Libreria Editrice. Catechism of the Catholic Church . United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Kindle Edition. Paragraph 1691
The Catholic catechism speaks clearly about politics and social justice. In this election year we need to be reminded of what it says.
Why?
Not because I think it is authoritative and should be followed (I’m not Catholic). It is one voice among many.
But it’s an important voice in a time when large swaths of the church in the US – including Catholics, Protestants, and Evangelicals – have aligned with a single political party whose policies, words, and deeds are considered ‘right’ or at least ‘acceptable’ in order to achieve a political end.
It’s a voice coming from a long historical perspective and broad geopolitical context. It gives space for the Oscar Romeros and Dorothy Days of this world. It punctures the bubble of the popular ‘Make America Great Again’ political movement. It is much needed in the nano-second we are living in now.
The quote above is how the section starts. It hearkens us back to Jesus, the Light not overcome by darkness, our Head to whom we give our allegiance, the One who spoke the words of the Sermon on the Mount (see the previous post).
His voice is the one we need to hear clearly in this election season and in all seasons. I think the voice of the Catholic Catechism can help us.
Grace and peace to you
dw
becoming flame 