St. Pascal Baylon Catholic Church

As I write this it is the day after election day here in the United States. While I am happy to see that so many people voted in this election I still woke up with a heavy heart. My heaviness of heart does not come from whether the candidates I voted for lost, but rather from seeing how this process continues to tear apart our country more and more. To realize all this energy of hate and divisiveness on both sides is counterproductive to creating a “more perfect Union”. As disciples of Jesus, we see it as counterproductive to creating the Kingdom of God.

It was a blessing to celebrate school Mass with Fr. John today and have God remind me of what is important. We used readings from the Common of Pastors for the feast of Saint Charles Borromeo, and the gospel was from the end of the Holy Gospel according to Matthew.

The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them. When they saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted. Then Jesus approached and said to them, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.* And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” Matthew 28:16-20

A great reminder that we should have one focus, spreading the gospel message to the world. This mandate is fortified by the promise that Jesus will be with us always. There may be times that things look bleak and we are moving backward, but we have to trust that Jesus will walk with us and in the end, God’s Kingdom will prevail.

On my way home, praying the rosary, I was reflecting on the Luminous mystery “Proclaiming the Kingdom”. Another reminder to me that we are to be focused on proclaiming all that Jesus taught us. Most importantly by loving and serving others, but also by continuing to be prophetic with our voices in trying to bring the Kingdom of God to fruition.

Today was a reminder to me that when our hearts feel heavy it is a time to listen to the voice of God in prayer, scripture, the sacraments, and those around us. We need to trust God and continue to take the Gospel message into our world which will be frustrating at times and require us to have a prophetic voice.

I will leave you with some words from Fr. James Martin’s Facebook page:

What is our task? In many ways, it is same as before the election: to work for the dignity of all human life: the unborn, the migrant and refugee, the Black man and woman, the LGBTQ person, the Covid patient, the person without healthcare, the homeless, the unemployed, the abused woman, the inmate.  It will change depending on who is elected, but it is essentially the same: proclaiming the Gospel and standing up for those on the margins, for those whom Jesus called "the least of our brothers and sisters."

Peace, Love, and Blessings

Deacon Richard