Chaplain's Reflection

Politics anyone?

Often, we hear it said that we shouldn't mix politics and religion. Usually it is said by people who don't like our Christian values, or by Christians who don't want the trouble of standing up for core Christian values. Pope Francis recently urged us all to, “engage in politics, which is simply what it means to take part constructively in the life of a nation or society.” (The Shepherd, Sergio Rubin and Francesca Ambrogetti, Argentina 2023).

Sometimes this week's gospel about giving to Caesar that which is his and to God, that which is God's (Mt 22:15-21), is used to justify a view that we somehow inhabit two parallel universes. But that is the opposite of Jesus’ message. Not his intention at all! Christianity is very much an earthy perspective on the world. After all, that is why Jesus became one of us, to meet us on the street where we live; to teach us to apply God's values to the real world.

Living those values is how we influence the world around us. Out of those values has arisen the usually tolerant, pluralist society we are blessed to live in. But it is wasted on us if we choose not to make waves, to simply blend with and go along with everything secular society promotes. It is that very tolerant pluralism that enables us to confidently articulate our values; to evangelise; to proclaim to the secular world our Creator’s overflowing love for all humanity.

Should politics stay out of religion and religion out of politics? Not at all! Jesus message today is for the “state to allow God to be God, but especially” it “challenge(s) the Church to preach and live the Gospel of Jesus Christ, rather than the Gospel of political convenience.” [Francis Maloney, This is the Gospel of the Lord, p187]