Matthew 23:1-12

            A Catholic election

       1 Then said Jesus to the crowds and to his disciples, 2 "The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat; 3 so practice and observe whatever they tell you, but not what they do; for they preach, but do not practice. 4 They bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with their finger. 5 They do all their deeds to be seen by men; for they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, 6 and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues, 7 and salutations in the market places, and being called rabbi by men. 8 But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brethren. 9 And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. 10 Neither be called masters, for you have one master, the Christ. 11 He who is greatest among you shall be your servant; 12 whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

       Enlarging your Phylactery is not going to make you a holier person. In Jesus' time there was a tension between the temple elite and the ordinary faithful person. Bearing in mind that Jesus was a practicing Jew, he appears to show disdain for the actions and 'laws' set forth by the Rabbi's and temple elite. There is a tension between the 'hierarchy' and the Jew in the pew. (I couldn't resist even though the visual is wrong)

        It is so very much the same today in the Roman Catholic Church. When you think of the heap of laws, the elaborate pageantry, the pope's bright red shoes, the fixation of maintaining 'the church'

over what is right and just. It amazes me all the time. On the one hand we have the most of the Bishops who follow Rome like a puppy on a leash, they cover up and protect pedophiles over the victims; they are more concerned perpetuating their male dominated rule and clinging to stances and dogmas that they have deluded themselves into thinking are absolutes and not subject to enlightenment - ever. On the other hand, there is the faithful. In that group I would include the average faithful Christian, who loves Jesus and clings to the Gospel message of love, charity and social justice. Certainly not eliminating the law but certainly seeing the value of conscience and people as God created them.They are epitomized by the 'nuns on a bus'.

       This tension seems to have existed for thousands of years, no matter what 'church' we are speaking of. This tension is taking a front seat in the Presidential election with two Catholic men running in the Vice Presidential slots. Interestingly, each candidate seems aligned with one of the two views I outlined above.  One candidate (Ryan) is of a hierarchical nature where so much can be overlooked, problems with social justice, love of neighbor and service to the poor, as long as we have a strong focus on stopping all abortion at all costs. The other candidate (Biden) , while also deeply faithful, seems more concerned to put his faith into action as Jesus preached and is typified in todays reading. 

         This is one of several glaring dichotomies that we are faced with in this election. Two visions of Catholicism. The hierarchy holds no punches over whose corner they are standing in and they have a strong voice. The average faithful person though also has a strong voice. When all is said and done, it is the ballot that counts most but it requires action not passivity. 

       There is a concept in Catholicism called sensus fidelium. I say concept, because it does not seem to bear much fruit in the hierarchy, it is not evidenced in the the actions or policies of the magisterium. A fine example would be birth control that almost every Catholic believes in and practices. It is a silent voice of truth that the magisterium refuses to acknowledge even though in it's arrogance it should.

          This same sensus fidelium is what can help keep control of a vision and say no! to the small minded well funded voice of the temple elite who have no other interest than increasing their own phylacteries and keeping the average faithful, 'conscience ridden' Gospel follower in the trenches far below their elevated ranks.