By FR. KEVIN M CUSICK
“I desire therefore, first of all, that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all men: For kings, and for all that are in high station: that we may lead a quiet and a peaceable life in all piety and chastity. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who will have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:1-4).
Politics is most definitely the art of avoiding the greater of two evils. And 2017 was the year America averted unprecedented opportunity for evil to run rampant in our land.
Mr. Trump has said things that offend others and still shows himself to be of a vituperative and volatile temperament. These and other weaknesses threaten to undermine all of the good which he desires to do.
Yet, from the suing of Christian bakers simply because they choose not participate in the effort to redefine marriage as directed from Washington to the transformation of the White House into an unofficial headquarters for Planned Parenthood, Inc., the evidence is abundantly in: Americans were left with little choice but to vote for Donald Trump.
This month our nation has averted continued great evil with the inauguration of Donald Trump. His opponent, the lying, hypocritical fake who coveted the office of president and who would have continued the evil policies of the previous eight years, was vanquished — thanks be to God.
A large group of elected officials on Capitol Hill publicly and noisily took an opportunity for personal political protest via social networks by boycotting the inauguration. Their posturing is seen for the self-aggrandizement without adverse consequences that it is and which is still possible in some of the more bizarre and out of touch corners of America.
Most Americans are fed up with the institutions which serve their own bureaucratic growth and survival at the expense of the needs, wants, and expectations of families and parents. One sign this may be coming to an end will be the approval of Betsy DeVos as head of the Department of Education.
One must always make the distinction between the personal sins or weaknesses of presidents — the divorce and remarriage of Ronald Reagan comes to mind — and their desire to do what is right and good in their official decision-making capacity. Our Christian duties, as St. Paul teaches, include praying that our elected officials may be good examples for all of us as well as leaders of vision and effectiveness.
Those who have long desired a president at least open to moral goodness may now finally breathe freely and express themselves openly, especially members of our military who have lived in fear of retribution if they speak out, given that the POTUS is their commander-in-chief. Our unapologetically patriotic and pro-military president is someone everyone can now proudly follow.
We must continue to thank Almighty God for the groundswell of Christians and other citizens of goodwill who banded together and against great odds elected the non-politician who knew to seek the counsel of good citizens. With his picks for cabinet secretaries now cruising through their nomination hearings we see with gratitude that Trump indeed is listening to the right people. Gen. James Mattis is an example of someone who will fight for the true purpose of the military against those who would further turn it into a sociological freak show.
One example of the new openness to moral goodness in our political life is the fact that Kellyanne Conway will appear as one of the official speakers at this year’s March for Life. Let us hope and pray that this is the first of more signs of warmth in the White House for the Christian faith and for the pro-life cause.
For eight years Catholics have been held at arm’s length while radical Muslims, abortion (baby-killing) advocates, peddlers of sexual perversion, and bad Catholics have received red carpet welcomes.
Who can forget the appalling sight of the White House bathed in the rainbow colors symbolically intended not for the covenant offered by God after the flood but instead for the perverted use of the sexual function in cases other than one man and one woman in committed marriage? Nothing spoke to the abasement of the office of president perhaps more than this.
We pray that the family as God planned it will be supported as the norm for this country founded on Christian morals, rather than a same-sex imitating of the institution that reduces children to a legitimizing accessory.
A current author who once worked for the previous POTUS in regard to faith-based initiatives said that he was aware of regrets that better relations were not nurtured with people of faith. That clearly was never possible with the malicious and entrenched assault upon the Little Sisters of the Poor as well as the whole Church with the militant HHS mandate.
With practicing Catholics now finding a welcome where before only fake Catholics were acceptable we can hope that perhaps Trump’s Sunday School lessons may continue with an emphasis on prudence and temperance. His Catholic press secretary goes so far as to suffer social ridicule for wearing his ashes on his forehead on the first day of Lent. This bodes well for surrounding the president with good influences.
The new president used his Sunday School Bible to take the oath of office. May the lessons in faith inspired by the word of God that he has learned throughout his life guide him in the days and years ahead!
Our parish is gladly praying for the new president and will continue to do so as our duty for the good of this nation under God. It was my privilege to be selected by Cong. Scott Taylor (R., Va.) for two tickets to attend the inauguration. I was present with my friend Fr. Connolly and a group of priests and seminarians from New York to celebrate a great day for America.
As always we turn in these first days of a new administration to our Lady for her intercession. We remember that she calls us and all who would please the Father to “Do whatever He tells you.” Let us listen in openness to God as well as pray to Him for all our needs that we may hear His voice.
May we indeed more and more make His Kingdom come through the good works of love which He makes possible for us.
May Mary bring the wine of joy, to our hearts which is the foretaste of heavenly glory along the way of our earthly journey.
Thank you for reading and blessed be Jesus Christ, now and forever.
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(Join me on pilgrimage to Fatima for the 100th anniversary of the apparitions on October 7-15, 2017. Call Anthony Proximo at Proximo Travel at 1-855-842-8001 for more information. You can also email questions and request a flyer by emailing me at mcitl.blogspot.com@gmail.com.)
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