Anger Is the New Love: Politics Today

Are you distressed by today’s political landscape? Jeff gives a scriptural perspective on the anger that is brewing across political spectrums. He reminds us that as Christians, we are not ultimately political creatures but children of a God who promises to redeem our fallen humanity.

Shownotes

Anger Is the New Love: Politics Today

• Part of this is due to a loss of communication skills
• Cardinal Wuerl stated that the current crisis of faith is due to a tsunami of secular influence that has swept across the cultural landscape.
  • Traditional elements such as Family, marriage and natural moral order have been greatly diminished.
    • This started in the 60s and the 70s and has been growing until today.
    • We are now experiencing this “tsunami.”
  • Gaudium et Spes was published by Pope Paul VI in 1965
    • Paragraph 4: Today, the human race is involved in a new stage of history. Profound and rapid changes are spreading by degrees around the whole world. Triggered by the intelligence and creative energies of man, these changes recoil upon him, upon his decisions and desires, both individual and collective, and upon his manner of thinking and acting with respect to things and to people. Hence we can already speak of a true cultural and social transformation, one which has repercussions on man’s religious life as well.
      … Finally, man painstakingly searches for a better world, without a corresponding spiritual advancement.
      • This describes our world today.
    • Paragraph 8: Within the individual person there develops rather frequently an imbalance between an intellect which is modern in practical matters and a theoretical system of thought which can neither master the sum total of its ideas, nor arrange them adequately into a synthesis.
      • When you look at the news you will see people who lack the ability to master the sum total of ideas.
    • Paragraph 10: The truth is that the imbalances under which the modern world labors are linked with that more basic imbalance which is rooted in the heart of man. For in man himself many elements wrestle with one another. Thus, on the one hand, as a creature he experiences his limitations in a multitude of ways; on the other he feels himself to be boundless in his desires and summoned to a higher life. Pulled by manifold attractions he is constantly forced to choose among them and renounce some. Indeed, as a weak and sinful being, he often does what he would not, and fails to do what he would. Hence he suffers from internal divisions, and from these flow so many and such great discords in society. No doubt many whose lives are infected with a practical materialism are blinded against any sharp insight into this kind of dramatic situation; or else, weighed down by unhappiness they are prevented from giving the matter any thought. Thinking they have found serenity in an interpretation of reality everywhere proposed these days, many look forward to a genuine and total emancipation of humanity wrought solely by human effort; they are convinced that the future rule of man over the earth will satisfy every desire of his heart.
      • … She likewise holds that in her most benign Lord and Master can be found the key, the focal point and the goal of man, as well as of all human history. The Church also maintains that beneath all changes there are many realities which do not change and which have their ultimate foundation in Christ, Who is the same yesterday and today, yes and forever. Hence under the light of Christ, the image of the unseen God, the firstborn of every creature, the council wishes to speak to all men in order to shed light on the mystery of man and to cooperate in finding the solution to the outstanding problems of our time.

What is Our Response?

• As a Christian we should not define ourselves by political terms.
  • We cannot call ourselves either liberal or conservative but should call ourselves Catholic.
    • We should strive to be labeled “faithful.”
  • James 4:1-2 – “¹ What causes wars, and what causes fightings among you? Is it not your passions that are at war in your members? ²You desire and do not have; so you kill. And you covet[a] and cannot obtain; so you fight and wage war. You do not have, because you do not ask.”
    • If we want what Christ wants we will not turn to the streets.
    • We have become a narcissistic culture.
      • In the 60s the most popular magazine was “Life”
      • In the 70s the most popular magazine was “People”
      • In the 80s the most popular magazine was “US”
      • In the 90s the most popular magazine was “Oprah.”
    • We need to focus instead on Jesus.
      • We said yes to Jesus not to any particular political party.
    • Is the media trying to incite anger?
      • I think so.
      • Why?
        • It unites people who wouldn’t normally be united.
          • It is a false unity based in narcissism instead of the greater good.
        • We need a true revolution based in love to return us to the Father.
          • Returning the roots of our faith and God’s will.
        • Matthew 11:12-15 – “¹² From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and men of violence take it by force. ¹³ For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John; ¹⁴ and if you are willing to accept it, he is Eli′jah who is to come. ¹⁵ He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
          • Scholars in Jerusalem believe this is a teaching that amplifies an old Testament teaching.
          • Micah 2 12-13 – “¹² I will surely gather all of you, O Jacob, I will gather the remnant of Israel; I will set them together like sheep in a fold, like a flock in its pasture, a noisy multitude of men. ¹³ He who opens the breach will go up before them; they will break through and pass the gate, going out by it. Their king will pass on before them, the Lord at their head.”
            • The shepherd would sit outside the sheep’s fold and guard them. The sheep are inside being very noisy, the one who breaks open the gate of the fold and leads the others forward is the “breaker.”
          • Jesus uses Micah to describe John the Baptist as the breaker moving forward as a kingdom.
          • We need to move forward as a kingdom, not violently but as missionaries.
        • Cardinal Wuerl said that the new evangelization is calling the faithful to appreciate the truth of the gospel and what it means to the world. He highlighted that there is a new generation of young people who are looking for answers that are found in the gospel.

Five Practical Tips for Turning to God in moments when society turns to anger.

• One: Hold your tongue when you see the news and give God the praise.
• Two: Look for the injustice that needs to be turned around and ask God for laborers to address it.
• Three: Say the novena to Our Lady the Undoer of Knots.
• Four: Pray for Godly men and women to be hired in the media.
• Five: Pray that parishes will set up their efforts to set up missionary disciples.

More Great Resources from Jeff

Find free blogs, videos, and resources about Scripture and the Catholic faith at http://biblestudyforcatholics.com/.

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For an illustrated resource introducing God’s love story to children while helping them to understand how the Catholic Church is the body of Christ on Earth try The Great Adventure Storybook.

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