Working Through the Results

I did not vote for Donald Trump. I did not vote for Hillary Clinton.

I'm probably one of the least educated people I know when it comes to politics. I pick up on things because Cyril is a genius in political matters and he helps me understand what's going on and what things mean.

I was fascinated, however, by this election. It started so early. And there were so many candidates, so much drama, so many angles and so many opinions, you couldn't help but get sucked into the enormity of it all- even as someone who normally doesn't pay attention to or know much about politics.

I watched the debates. I read the articles. I watched as both Republicans and Democrats created idols of their candidates and started the slow, sinister process of demonizing each other's party. A shadow was cast and the poison spread across our country as each party looked at the other candidate and began to dissect, belittle, and dehumanize these two.

Regardless of your opinion, you would probably admit that there was no good here. I don't think the words "peace" or "joy" would describe the way you felt after having a conversation about the election. You probably felt indignant, proud, passionate, afraid, demoralized, and above all, angry. These are not fruits of the Spirit. These are the delights of the devil.

And I submit that this election season was one of the great tests of our time. How would you conduct yourself? How would you treat your neighbor when the lines were drawn? How would you navigate the moral complexity of this impossible situation?

As a Christian, but particularly as a Catholic, I was astonished by the way some of my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ were conducting themselves. I understood those who took the time to research, to discern with prayerful hearts and explain their reasoning with calm and clear rationalization. What I could NOT understand and what shocked me were those who openly and defiantly abandoned the teachings of Christ - who turned their back on everything we stand for and believe in as Catholics; not ONLY in their tolerance for and even support of the vile, vulgar, and hateful statements of the Republican candidate, but also in their striking lack of basic human dignity and respect for the Democratic candidate. The things I heard, and the arguments I witnessed were nothing short of horrific. I was scandalized by the way these Catholics and Christians displayed with such relish their cruel behavior.

We are allowed and encouraged to have morals. We are allowed and encouraged to have opinions. What distinguishes us from the world, however, is our behavior, our example, our loving and merciful disposition. We are temples of the Holy Spirit- we are the body of Christ- we are expected to hold ourselves to a higher standard of living and relating.

Having said this, I know that these angry and irrational behaviors were largely sparked by the prejudice and verbal persecution we experience on a daily basis as people of faith. You'll often hear the Democratic party say that we as Catholics and/or Christians, who agree with most of the principles of the Republican party, are intolerant bigots, just because we have opinions about morality and the way we live our lives. Do they think we don't feel the weight of discrimination and prejudice just as much as those they claim we discriminate against? There is no flawless side here.

My point in writing all this is to say- I'm very confused and conflicted; not unlike I felt before the election. I think a lot of our country feels the same way. We knew to a certain extent what we were going to get with a Clinton presidency- we're not so sure what we are going to get with a Trump presidency. We hope any president of ours will be strong, kind, merciful, fair, fighting for and protecting the principles of life (in all cases and all forms: the unborn, the elderly, the sick, the poor), liberty (to exercise the freedoms written into our constitution by our forefathers), and the pursuit of happiness. We hope this man will be given the grace to conduct himself in such a way. Some of us are unsure of his ability to do so.

But I do not think this is a time to despair or give in to anxiety and fear. I think this is a time to take a deep breath, take a step back, and reflect on what we have failed to do and what we intend to do going forward. I think this is a time to turn our hearts over to the Lord and give thanks for the many, many blessings He has poured down upon us. We are privileged to live in a country where we have the opportunity to vote- we are privileged to have family, friends, food, shelter, and protection. We know as Christians that our faith never rests in the hands of one man- our faith is in Christ Jesus, Who always has and always will work for our good; Who loves us with unceasing constancy and intensity. Our home is not here- our kingdom is not here. We belong in the world to come- so let us turn our gaze there and to our good and gracious King. Let us continue our good works here on earth, that we might be good citizens of the heavenly realm that awaits us.