Conservative Student News

The following is an excerpt from a homily given by Deacon Timothy Yanta of the St. Paul Seminary.

Although Amos was a prophet almost 3,000 years ago, the socio-historical setting for Amos closely parallels that of the United States today.  It was a time of extreme power and economic prosperity for the Israelites.  Many Israelites believed that their power and prosperity were the results of Yahweh’s special blessing on them.  However, they really were the products of social injustices and unrighteous action. 

Not only did Israel deal with her neighbors unjustly through violent war crimes—such as the merciless slaughter of civilians, genocide, flagrant treaty violations, and the desecration of the dead—but Israel’s own government and society had become corrupt.  Amos warned the Israelites that they would be held to higher standards because of their knowledge of Yahweh’s divine will for upright living.

The Northern Kingdom failed to listen to Amos’ prophetic messages and collapsed because they rotted from within, and eventually were overtaken by the Assyrians.  Israel’s fate is a vivid illustration of the correlation between a society’s justice and righteousness and its permanency.

Today, much of our success and prosperity come at the expense of the dignity of others.  We exploit workers throughout the world so that we can have whatever item we want at the cheapest price available.  We have fooled ourselves into thinking that it is more important to obtain material things than spiritual perfection.  We seek the so-called blessings of this world at the expense of our relations with our family, friends, neighbors, fellowman, and God. 

Now, we can almost hear the echo of Amos’ voice in Pope John Paul II’s prophetic message in his encyclical letter, The Gospel of Life.  The Pope states: “In the name of God: Respect love and serve life, every human life!  Only in this direction will you find justice, development, true freedom, peace and happiness!”  

This is a call to self-denial and self-emptying love.  It is a call for all of us to be true and faithful stewards of the gifts we have been entrusted with to build up the Kingdom of God.  Accordingly, this election year, our bishops have called upon us to bring the Gospel message out into the world by becoming faithful citizens.

            In the Catholic tradition, responsible citizenship is a virtue and participation in the political process is a moral obligation.  Every believer is called to become an informed, active and responsible participant in the political process.  Our involvement in the political process is not merely a duty or a privilege, but is an opportunity to witness to the fullness of the Gospel message. 

                  We are to be witnesses to our belief that each human person is created in God’s image and, without exception, has dignity, worth and value that must be protected and respected from conception to natural death.  This Gospel message forms the foundation of all Catholic social teachings.

            However, are we united enough to spread this message?  Now more than ever, Catholics are divided into political camps.  We have divided ourselves with political ideologies, instead of uniting ourselves under the teachings of Jesus Christ.  Politics cannot be merely about ideological conflicts or the search for partisan advantage.  It should be about fundamental moral choices. 

            Our lack of true dialogue and harmony has led to relativistic thinking in the Church and in society as a whole.  Consequently, we have a culture that claims to be completely independent and self-ruling with regard to moral choices. 

             As Christians, we are not free to abandon unborn children because they are seen as unwanted or inconvenient, to turn our backs on immigrants because they lack the proper documents, to create and then destroy human lives in a quest for medial advances and profit or to ignore society’s many attempts to deface the dignity of family and married life.

            As stewards of God’s creation, it is our duty to unite in pursuit of justice and protect all human life. This requires a well-formed conscience that will not vote for an individual or a law that opposes the fundamentals of faith and morality. 

            Open dialogue and debate are great ways to pursue the truth and form our consciences.  We also need to study, pray, and support one another and our leaders.

            Some Catholics may feel politically homeless, sensing that no political party and too few candidates share a consistent concern for human life and dignity.  However, this is not a time for retreat or discouragement. We need more, not less engagement in political life.  

            To be supportive, we need to be political but not partisan.   We must be one voice for the protection of the weak and vulnerable, defending human life and dignity rather than mere cheerleaders for a particular party or candidate.

                  We ought to be principled but not ideological.  We cannot compromise our basic values or teachings, but we should be open to different ways to advance them.   Finally to be supportive, we are called to be clear – yet civil.  We should be clear about our principles and priorities without name-calling.  

            Let us not squander and misuse God’s gifts but instead be faithful and trustworthy stewards promoting the Gospel message that all humans are created in God’s image and, without exception, have dignity, worth and value that must be protected and respected from conception to natural death.

             Let us hope and pray that with dialogue, study, prayer, support and God’s grace this society will be the people that finally takes Amos’ message to heart—almost 3,000 years after it was given.