Not my kind of Catholic

Mark 10:35-45

          And James and John, the sons of Zeb'edee, came forward to him, and said to him, "Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you." 36 And he said to them, "What do you want me to do for you?" 37 And they said to him, "Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory." 38 But Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?" 39 And they said to him, "We are able." And Jesus said to them, "The cup that I drink you will drink; and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized; 40 but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared." 41 And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John. 42 And Jesus called them to him and said to them, "You know that those who are supposed to rule over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. 43 But it shall not be so among you; but whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. 45 For the Son of man also came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

          There's the letter of the law and the spirit of the law. Which is more important?  I say the spirit of the law. As evidence, I ask you to recall how Jesus railed against the Pharisees and their scrupulosity in adherence to the law. Second, When Jesus was asked which of the Commandments was the greatest, rather than pick one he gaves us the lens of the two great commandments. As I have said, thus leaving it more difficult to be a Christian because you have to use your heart, your brain and your conscience.

         As we approach the Presidential election we have the vision of two vice presidential candidates, both of whom are Roman Catholic. Just as there is a vast difference between the Presidential candidates, there is a vast difference between the Catholicism that is practiced by each vice-presidential candidate. 

          Mr. Biden represents the kind of Catholic who uses his brain, his intellect, his heart and his conscience all together. He lives the life most closely associated with a Catholicism that embraces the actual life of Jesus. Intellectual? yes. Social radical? Perhaps? Driven by conscience? absolutely. This is more akin to the actual life that Jesus lived. 

           Mr. Ryan, while using intellect eschews the actual life example that Jesus lived for a faith based in rules, rubrics and tradition born of male dominance, euro centric circular logic and yet more rules.  This is at the heart of the schism within the Roman Catholic church that pits the curia against the nuns on a bus. As an example of 'service' that all Christians are called to on one level or another, Mr. Ryan stops at soup kitchen to show, apparently, what a good faithful person he is. In fact he washes already cleaned dishes for a photo op and quickly departs.  Is this the kind of 'servant' the Gospel is speaking of? I think not. I think this does not even fulfill the letter of the law. To further repudiate his faith, he takes comfort and guidance in the likes of Ayn Rand, perhaps the antithesis of Jesus Christ.

           As a Catholic, I do not believe in any litmus test for a Catholic candidate, whether they are pro-choice or equality. I would rather have them use the intellect, heart, compassion and conscience that Jesus lived rather than the faith based on some interpretation of the gospels and outdated traditions.

           So it is simple to me. Vote for the candidates that live a faith that is more closely associated with the real life of Jesus Christ, not merely mouthing that they are Catholic or even Christian. I'd say, Vote Obama / Biden.