Memorial of Saint Leo the Great, pope and doctor of the Church

Remind them to be under the control of magistrates and authorities,

to be obedient, to be open to every good enterprise.
They are to slander no one, to be peaceable, considerate,
exercising all graciousness toward everyone.
For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, deluded,
slaves to various desires and pleasures,
living in malice and envy,
hateful ourselves and hating one another .

It’s been more than a week since the mid-term elections. Many Americans saw their fondest hopes fulfilled; others think it was an unmitigated disaster. Invariably, before an election, some people say, “If my candidate loses I will move to Canada.” But the crisis comes and goes; and things are never as awful as they threatened to be; nor as happy as they had promised.

That’s the genius of democracy. It allows a people and their government to adjust incrementally to change, without apocalyptic disasters “of biblical proportions.” It never moves as efficiently as a dictatorship, nor does it punish as severely. Its wisest decisions are a small step in the right direction; its worse choices can usually be undone in the next election.

Saint Paul, in his letter to Titus, urges his flock to obey civil authorities, and to be open to every good enterprise. Whether those civil authorities are emperors, kings, tyrants or elected officials Christians are usually prepared to work within the system. Little is gained by revolution; nothing is gained by violence. Neither changes much and both cost way too much.

Invariably the people who march into public demonstration with buckets of anger have personal issues that cannot be resolved in that forum. They cannot be relied upon for the hard work and long hours of shaping public policy. They cannot endure the process of compromise because their own inner issues – the hidden agendas – are not even remotely addressed. If they affect anything it will have to be undone by the next committee meeting. They would do better to talk to a minister or priest, or commit to a series of long sessions with a counselor. It will be interesting to watch the Tea Party Movement in the next two years. Will it develop into a mature party with clear principles and competent leadership? Or will it fizzle for lack of roots? Will it be co-opted by the well-organized, deep-pocketed forces already in place, or will it redefine the whole political game? 

Politics is life. Wherever two or more people gather, there is politics. Those who denigrate politics deny the importance of human life with all its wonder, complexity and danger. The appearance of God in our history, in the person of Jesus, reminds us of how holy politics is. It is rarely pretty; it is never simple. It requires courage, commitment and  integrity on the part of every citizen, especially in a democracy. These biennial election cycles remind us that we’re in this together for the long haul.

Fortunately Christians also know how to sing and dance, to joke and laugh and play. As disciples of Jesus, along with our deep commitment to mercy, justice and peace, we bring the gift of fun to the public forum.