Canonizing Candidates

Voting more as Catholics than along party lines

08/25/2020

Matthew 23:23-26 Jesus said: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You pay tithes of mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier things of the law: judgment and mercy and fidelity. But these you should have done, without neglecting the others. Blind guides, who strain out the gnat and swallow the camel!“ Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You cleanse the outside of cup and dish, but inside they are full of plunder and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the cup, so that the outside also may be clean.”

My preaching is going to get a little political this morning, so maybe more of you will stay awake. Or maybe not. Have you been enjoying watching the Democratic and Republican conventions last week and this week? It seems to me they are virtually trying to “canonize” the two candidates for president as if they were saints. Last week the DNC and this week the RNC are presenting prominent and popular people who sing the praises of each candidate, making each one sound like the Savior for all our country’s problems. At the same time, while they exalt one candidate they feel the need to denigrate the other candidate. Saying, in effect: “We are so good because the other candidate is so bad.”

There was a glimmer of hope and honesty when I heard Nikki Haley candidly admit last night: “America is not perfect but the principles we hold dear are perfect.” She was, of course, referring to Republican and conservative principles as being perfect. I am certain the Democrats could echo exactly that same sentiment: “America is not perfect, but the principles we hold dear are perfect.” That is, the Democratic and more progressive principles that they espouse are perfect. That’s the nature of every good principle: it is unassailable and in a sense always perfect. It is the application of those principles that creates controversy, conflict and conventions that canonize their candidates.

Perhaps it is divine providence that right in the middle of these political conventions we celebrate the feast of St. Louis, the king of France. Of all the monarchs of France, Louis IX was the only one canonized a saint. And that’s saying something since France has long held the designation of “the Church’s eldest daughter.” So, if any nation should have had saints in their leaders, it should have been France, but they could only count one. So, the RNC and the DNC should remember it’s not so easy to canonize political leaders.

Louis IX was born in 1214 and died on Aug. 25, 1270. Under his rule, France reached a veritable “golden age” both economically and politically. Other European leaders turned to him to settle their disputes because of his reputation of being fair-minded. He fought in the seventh and eighth Crusades. But he is mostly known for being a devout Catholic, and building the stunning, stained-glass chapel called “Sainte Chappelle” (the Holy Chapel). It’s one of my favorite churches in the whole world (after Immaculate Conception, of course!).

In fact, his opponents tried to criticize Saint Louis by calling him “the monk king” because he was so deeply religious. St. Louis was merciful even to rebels who fought against him. When he was urged to execute a prince who had followed his father in rebellion, St. Louis refused, saying, “A son cannot refuse to obey his father.” I don’t think we will hear that kind of civility and sanity in the raw rhetoric of our two political conventions.

My friends, as you prepare to cast your vote this November, ask for the intercession of St. Louis, the King of France. And remember two things. First, no political convention can canonize a saint, only the Catholic Church can do that. And St. Louis of France reminds us that the bar to be a saint is especially high for those who aspire to political office. That bar for politicians is almost as high as it is for a priest. Ask St. Louis to pray for our next president.

And second, vote as a Catholic and not merely as a Republican or as a Democrat. That is, don’t just shape your views on politics, the economy, morality, etc. by listening to conservative or liberal media outlets. Instead, read the Bible and the Catechism of the Catholic Church about these issues. And think and vote like a Catholic first and foremost. St. Louis IX of France was known as the “monk king” because his politics was secondary to his Catholic faith. Maybe all Catholics should be called “monk voters” because our faith is far more precious to us than our politics.

Praised be Jesus Christ!