“What ever happened to gray?”
One of my parishioners asked me that question a number of years ago, and I’ve been thinking about it with the upcoming election.
At first, I didn’t quite get it, but I eventually realized he was referring to how everything is so black and white in our society today. You’re either right or wrong. It’s this or that. You’re a friend or an enemy. There’s little to nothing in between, and I think we lose sight of the fact that many issues are difficult, complicated, and varied.
We have the 10 Commandments and Jesus’s commands in Scripture that we are all called to follow. They are the foundation of right and wrong. But if we’re honest with ourselves, even they don’t always apply identically to every person in every circumstance.
The sixth commandment says, “You shall not kill.” At the same time, the Church believes in self-defense and just wars, both of which may involve taking a life. Determining when that is justified can be quite complicated with a multitude of circumstances unique to each situation.
Honestly, it would be easier if everything were black and white and we all saw everything the same way, but that’s just not reality. In terms of the election, the one question most everyone can agree on is whether to vote. The answer is a resounding yes. We should take seriously the responsibility and privilege we have in our great country to make our voices known in choosing the candidates we think can best lead our cities, counties, states and nation.
During election seasons, it can be easy to focus too much on Republican versus Democrat. We should first and foremost be a Christian – a child of God and believer in Jesus. I personally try to follow the Gospel more than any political party. I do my best to live the way I believe the Lord wants me to, and this in turn informs my political beliefs. Not the other way around.
I don’t know about you, but I find that no one political party represents my beliefs. Navigating the party platforms and candidates’ stances on various issues like immigration, abortion, the death penalty, and more can become quite confusing and contradictory. And in homes, parishes, even rectories, you often find different viewpoints.
Our fallen world is a little grayer than we would like, which makes it hard. The clearer an issue is, the easier it is to deal with. When it’s not so clear, we struggle more to make the best decision.
We are now speeding toward the election, and I realize that some may view their vote as “choosing the lesser evil,” as Pope Francis recently said. He also said that we “must vote,” and vote according to our consciences.
I think that’s right. The Church has always taught that we should follow our conscience, and that we do our best to make sure it is a well-formed conscience. Conscience is not a feeling, but an inner voice – a gift from God – that speaks to us about right or wrong. That voice is formed in many ways, including a sincere desire to seek goodness and truth, studying Scripture, knowing the teachings of the Church, and prayerful reflection.
My guiding principle when voting is to consider what Jesus would say, and what he would want me to do. That doesn’t mean it’s an easy black-or-white decision, and it doesn’t mean everyone will come to the same conclusion. Still, I think it must be the primary consideration.
Please vote, and when you do, say a prayer of thanksgiving that we are afforded this right in our America. I pray that all of us Christians will bring Jesus to the ballot box with us, doing our very best to let God’s teachings and commandments that shape our values also guide the choices we make. If we do that, our consciences will be clear that we did our very best for the good of our nation and the people of our world.
I also pray that we remember those who vote differently are still our sisters and brothers in Christ. Jesus himself told us that the two greatest commandments are that we love God and neighbor. Doing those two things is ultimately more important than any vote we cast.
(Msgr. John Enzler serves as the mission advocate of Catholic Charities of The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington and is a chaplain at his alma mater, St. John’s College High School in Washington. He writes the Faith in Action column for the archdiocese’s Catholic Standard and Spanish-language El Pregonero newspapers and websites.)
