THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH

Her Doctrine and Morals

Jesus Christ, The King

27 October 2024

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The Sunday

Sermon

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Dear Friends in Christ,

Once again, we are reminded that we are both physical and spiritual. We belong to the Kingdom of God, a spiritual realm, as well as the earthly kingdoms. While we live in this world, it is easy to forget that we have souls and are members of the Kingdom of God.

In the United States of America, we are approaching the time for us to elect our governmental representatives. There is a lot of political attention and arguing over the best candidates. Catholics are morally obliged to fulfill their obligations as citizens to participate in bringing about a more moral and Christ-centered nation. Sadly, there is often not much to choose from on our ballots, and we are reduced to selecting the "lesser of two evils." Positive votes for candidates sadly become negative votes against the less appropriate candidate. Our votes are cast not because we want the candidate we vote for but because we do not want the other one. Instead of voting for the one that we think will do the most good, we are forced to vote for the one we believe will do the least harm.

It has been said that nations get the leaders they deserve. If this is true, then we should be striving to become better so that we may merit better leadership. Not just materially better but spiritually or morally better. It matters little what we support or oppose in this world if we are unconcerned about our souls and our life or death in eternity. This is precisely where the Atheistic Materialist finds himself; he is indifferent to whether Candidate A or Candidate B wins the election because he is amoral.

If we are concerned about our eternal happiness, we need to be daily striving to bring forth the Kingship of Jesus Christ into our lives and the lives of those around us. Christians may be marginalized or even barred from true and effective citizenship in this world, but they must never become indifferent to the situation of their family, friends, and nation. Jesus has commanded us not only to love God with our whole being but also to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. Our best works and prayers are generally those that we offer for the love of others.

Let us remember that those who do not walk in the Light are not necessarily our enemies. Instead of adopting a battle mentality, we should approach them with love, compassion, and understanding. Many may be ignorant, weak, or misguided, and they need a loving and caring friend and guide, not an opponent. This is the example that Jesus has set for us and the teaching that He has left us in the Holy Gospels. Let us not hate our brothers because of their political affiliations, but rather pray for them, show them the error of their ways with love, and keep the door open for them to enter when they are ready.

Even if the best candidate does not win or enter office, we must remember that God can bring greater good from even the most challenging situations. We should not succumb to discouragement or despair, but instead, we should confidently pray and work for the true Kingdom of Jesus Christ in our lives and the lives of those we love. If we cannot bring our nation to conformity and unity with Jesus Christ Our King, then we should strive to bring our states, counties, cities, towns, family, and neighbors to His Kingdom. With God's grace, we can always find hope and optimism in the face of adversity.

Jesus is the King of kings and unites both physical and spiritual realms into One Kingdom. The entire nation may not be in conformity with the Kingdom of Heaven, but our part, no matter how small, can and should be. Even if corrupt laws are passed, we must always remember that we must obey God before we obey men. Immoral governments may tell the citizens that they can kill their unwanted children in the womb in defiance of God's law, but in the end, those governments will fall along with all those who immorally promoted or practiced anything in defiance of Jesus' Kingship.

Frequently, we should remind ourselves that we need just a few basic laws, such as the Ten Commandments, and God has provided them for us. Many of the other laws of worldly governments are nuances or interpretations of these laws; some are even defiant or contradictory to God's Will. The nation may be on the path to destruction, but we do not have to be morally united with it in its destruction. Remember that Sodom would have been spared if there were more than a few just men (Genesis 18:23-33). Even if we cannot find ten just men, we may still find mercy for ourselves and our loved ones as Lot did.

May the Immaculate Heart of Mary inspire, guide, and protect us!