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INTENTION : |
That political responsibility may be lived at all levels as a high form of charity.
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When we talk about political responsibility, many of us think about national governments. Jesus seems rather critical about them. He says: "You know that among the gentiles those they call their rulers lord it over them and their great men make their authority felt. With you it must not be like that" (Mk 10:42) Pharisees and the temple authorities in Jerusalem he judges to be the same: "They lay heavy burdens of people's shoulders - which they never touch themselves" (Mt 23:4). Looking at the world today, what would Jesus say? I think he would use the same words again. We may think of the well known dictators and warlords of Africa, China, Syria, North Korea, and others. We see extremely corrupt rich leaders and a huge majority of suppressed poor. The Western democracies are different. But there too people judge their governments to be power hungry and not caring for the poor. In Germany there is a party called CDU (Christian Democratic Union). Some say: If the members of this party were honest, they would drop the C. Often you can hear the words: Politics and Christianity don't mix. Sadly about Economy and its huge companies the same must be said: another area of political irresponsibility. Pope Francis challenges this. And he is right of course. History knows many genuinely Christian politicians and economists. For them Politics and Christianity mixed very well. The Pope asks us to believe in the power of prayer that can change also the other politicians. Theirs, too, could be an office of a "high form of charity".
Not an easy task, sure, but what a difference that would make for a whole country, for the whole world! Even the little civil servant behind his screen who gives you a hard time, because he thinks he is God-Almighty, can be changed through prayer. This may be a good starting point: pray instead of nourishing our frustration and anger.
Another practical thought: You might like to form a small group of friends. Discuss which politician might need your prayers most urgently. Then ask the Lord to touch their hearts.
There is also another side to this prayer intention: Pope Francis does not believe in prayer without action. He calls us to prayer and to action. Each one of us is holding some political responsibility: As parent in a school, as parishioner, as worker in a municipality, as director of a company, etc. Wherever we are, we can act selfishly or we can grow and work for the common good, be politically responsible. Prayer for ourselves will enable us to act like that. It will guide us to serve the common good together with the "official" politicians. It will guide us to not go by hear-say and guess work and rumours, but it will make us research and act on the basis of facts. That way our whole life will be a "high form of charity".
Fr. Konrad Landsberg, sj
AP National Secretary in Zimbabwe
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