If you remove from your midst oppression, false accusation and malicious speech; if you bestow your bread on the hungry and satisfy the afflicted; then light shall rise for you in the darkness, and the gloom shall become for you like midday; then the LORD will guide you always and give you plenty even on the parched land.
The appearance of QAnon in our national discussion, and its widespread acceptance among many Americans, should cause alarm among those who love and believe in the American experiment. Democracy is never assured; we cannot promise our children they will enjoy that particular type of freedom.
History is rife with upheaval, violence, and the emergence of demagogues who speak for the maddened populace. There is no particular reason that Reason should prevail. Anger, greed, ideology, avarice, fear, resentment: any of these forces may control a nation.
The Founding Fathers of the American experiment believed in Reason. Thomas Jefferson, arguably the greatest philosopher among them, dismissed all religious stories that struck him as unreasonable, especially the miracles of the Old and New Testaments. There was no proof that they had happened, and they sounded implausible to him. He was not an atheist but he believed the Creator God would not and should not interfere in human affairs.
Somewhere during the twentieth century, especially with the madness of two world wars, the Enlightenment's confidence in Reason began to crumble. Nothing about the First World War made sense, and yet it happened. Historians to this day wonder why. What made it necessary? Why did millions of young men who had no animosity against one another eagerly march out to the slaughtering fields? Most of them were Christians and believed in the Prince of Peace! Why did their leaders call for war? How could wholesale slaughter make the world safe for democracy? Reason had failed.
QAnon knows that. There is nothing remotely plausible about their insane conspiracy theories. But they're entertaining, and people love entertainment more than rationality. Even their Christian religions must cater to their hunger for excitement and entertainment. If they're aroused by emotions of joy or anger or pathos, they feel alive and that must be the Holy Spirit!
Our Catholic tradition teaches us to love the Truth. Not excitement, not emotion, not desire, or reason. Those are not bad thing but they're not God. Our God is Truth. We anchor our faith, hope, and love in Truth and we must deliberately remove from our midst oppression, false accusation and malicious speech.When millions of Americans say an election was fraudulent simply because their preferred candidate didn't win, and declare it was legitimate when he did win (despite his not winning the majority of votes), we know they do not love the Truth. They worship their preferences only and dismiss the Founders' passion for Reason.
Saint Augustine reminded us that it always takes courage to tell the Truth. Our Catholic faith reminds us that we know the Truth because it is revealed to us. What is revealed makes sense; it "stands to reason;" but we would not know it were it not revealed. No rational person would have predicted the the birth of God among us or the Resurrection of Jesus. We believe these truths because they have been revealed to us, and they make sense of what we saw in Jerusalem many centuries ago.
Truth comes to us through the Holy Spirit, through docility in prayer, through a humble assessment of our own knowledge and experience; and in courageous conversations with one another. Pope Francis encourages us to discern the will of God without the presumption that we already know what God thinks and wants. He has gathered the bishops and other church leaders in synods with the hope of learning what God wants of the Church.
Honest men and women listen to one another, allow themselves to be influenced and changed by their conversation, and discover ways forward they had not seen before. The process, though stressful and exhausting, is often miraculous. God is with us, and we have seen his glory.
Historians tell us that the vast majority of Americans, in the 1850's, did not expect a civil war. Only extremists on both sides hoped for it. I don't want to believe it might happen here, but I do not worship my preferences. I cannot dismiss the possibility.
I pray that my friars, friends, and family might survive the coming turmoil, if and when it comes. I pray that I will worship the Lord of Truth in any case. Finally, I pray: ...and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. Amen
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I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.