I’m not a strong believer in political messages being blasted from the pulpit. They generally make me queasy, a bit uneasy. Maybe it’s because I deal with politics all week long and don’t expect an ideological soapbox on Sunday. Or maybe it’s because the message is one that’s poorly delivered or one that I simply don’t agree with.
At today’s Mass, the visiting priest during his homily suddenly launched into a loud dissertation about child abusers and the general attitude most people have towards them. He gestured with his hands and asked everyone in the pews if they wouldn’t like to wrap their hands around the throat of a child abuser. The priest used similar rhetoric about identity thieves and illegal immigrants.
Hmmmmm, I thought to myself in the back of church. I don’t particularly have any affection for any of those groups. Last week while filling in for Mark Belling on WISN, I ripped child abusers. I ripped illegal immigrants.
The visiting priest preached on.
“As we forgive those who trespass against us! The Our Father! Oh, the Our Father can be a dangerous prayer!”
Why? Because, the visiting priest opined, the prayer challenges us to forgive the evildoers among us.
“Have mercy for the merciless,” the priest instructed us before slowly walking away from the lectern. Sermon over.
I was not impressed or convinced.
I have no sympathy for a child abuser. None.
I have no sympathy for illegal immigrants None.
I consider myself a devout Catholic, but after today’s homily, am I a bad one?
Finding it extremely difficult, if not damn near impossible to forgive vicious criminals or illegal immigrants, many of whom are vicious criminals, am I rejecting my faith, neglecting to follow its teachings?
I don’t think so.
There are commandments that tell us not to kill, steal, or covet our neighbor’s wife. There isn’t a commandment instructing me to forgive murderers, child molesters, or any other criminal.
Maybe, as we were told this morning in church, that Our Father could forgive people considered unforgivable. But as Father Mulcahy said in one particular episode of M*A*S*H, He was an exceptionally good sport.
This is an example of why politics and the pulpit aren’t always a comfortable fit. I am content and satisfied that I can detest killers and other violent criminals and still earn a path to Heaven. I won’t feel a single pang of guilt the next time I recite the Lord’s Prayer.
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