In today’s first reading, the Prophet Jeremiah warns us: “Woe to the shepherds who mislead and scatter the flock of my pasture, says the Lord.” As I reflect on these words, I am painfully aware of the violence that has gripped our nation for far too long. We look to our leaders for guidance, protection, direction, stability, and inspiration. These things have instead been replaced by rhetoric that is hurtful, divisive, angry, violent, and riddled with deception. This, incidentally, happens across the board; it is not reserved for one side or the other. We have lost the art of dialogue and civility. We no longer have healthy and constructive debates and conversations. We seem to operate from a high level of emotion and toss aside principles and truths. At the heart of this is the abandonment of God. When God is removed from society, dialogue, schools, the workplace, and relegated to the private sector, we should not be surprised at the outcome. When people abandon God, a vacuum is created and something or someone will fill that vacuum. The results are obvious and very startling. We have lost a our sense of identity; we have devalued human life; we have dismantled the truth; we have increased our fears and anxieties; we have turned to anything that numbs the pain; we have isolated ourselves; we have given in to whims; and we have lost a sense of hope. We find ourselves in a rather grim reality. After the failed assassination attempt of last Saturday, leaders on both sides of the aisle called for unity and a sense of decorum. That lasted less than a few hours, then the rhetoric ramped back up and all started to blame each other for the violence and the division.
So, what do we do?
We must now take the reins. We start to inject God back into society. We pray with greater intensity. Above all, we never abandon hope! In Pope Francis’ call for a Jubilee Year of Hope, he writes:
“Saint Paul is a realist. He knows that life has its joys and sorrows, that love is tested amid trials, and that hope can falter in the face of suffering. Even so, he can write: ‘We boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.’ (Rom 5:3-4) For the Apostle, trials and tribulations mark the lives of those who preach the Gospel amid incomprehension and persecution. Yet in those very contexts, beyond the darkness we glimpse a light ~ hope: we come to realize that evangelization is sustained by the power flowing from Christ’s Cross and Resurrection.”
Please do not abandon hope! In Psalm 94, we hear: “The Lord will not abandon His people.” Start today to reclaim God’s place in society and in our lives.
Sincerely Yours in Christ,
Fr. Wayne