Courtney McGrail“When evil unleashes its darkness we reveal our radiance. We pray,” writes Fr Conor Cunningham
Last Friday evening, like countless many who tweeted #PrayForParis, I felt powerless to do anything but pray.
Prayer is a beautiful, human and natural response when evil unveils itself. We are designed for communion with God and we are never more beautiful in God’s eyes than when we pray. Human beings are ‘pray-ers’. When evil unleashes its darkness we reveal our radiance. We pray.
Yet prayer by itself is not enough if we want to build a better world. We must act. But what kind of action?
Firstly, all followers of Jesus in Western civilisation must wake up and work to restore vibrant communities of intentional, personal and ecclesial Christianity. The truth and beauty of our Catholic faith cannot be allowed to slip away.
If we allow this to happen the vacuum in our culture will surely be filled by dark utilitarian ideologies.
Secondly, disciples of Jesus, together with scientists and all who promote a genuine and fully-inclusive philosophy of human rights, must work to restore a cultural reverence for human life, from its first conception to its natural end. If vulnerable human beings can be terminated in clinics because they are unwelcome, inconvenient, or unwell, we should not be too surprised when eventually we see human life extinguished upon our streets.
Thirdly, our renewed reverence for human life must be carried through into solid work for justice and equality in every corner of the world. Through Church structures such as Trócaire, we must work harder to build up peace with justice everywhere. Justice brings right-relationship between peoples, between God and humanity, and between creatures and creation.
Fourthly, we must also act to confront evil-doers and to protect the innocent. Dramatically decisive action by the forces of law and order against men of violence needs to find its strength in the political support, and in the prayer, of the whole people.
Meaningful Action
How can an individual Christian take meaningful action in these areas? Some people do have great power and influence and some, it seems, have no power or influence at all. Yet, there is one action we can all take to help to build a better world.
The way we cast our vote as Christians is hugely significant. Will I vote for a party or an individual who wants to silence or sideline the voice of the Gospel? Will I vote for a politician who wants to abolish Catholic education, or who insists on editing out parts of the Faith? Will I use my vote for someone who insists on using the citizens’ taxes only for an ‘education’ within an overarching atheistic and utilitarian State-approved ‘faith’, or will I promote instead a candidate who supports the freedom of parents to choose schools which will educate their children within the majestic, ennobling and eternal truths of Christianity?
Will I vote for a party or a politician who wants to take away the right to life of a pre-birth baby in her mother’s womb? Or one who believes that little ones should pass some kind of quality-control standard in order to be allowed to live? Or will I vote for someone who is brave enough to rally for life?
Will I support a candidate who accepts our duty to promote peace, justice and equality at home and abroad – even if that means higher taxes?
Will I vote for a candidate who is resolved to bring evildoers to justice and who will resource, defend and encourage the forces of law, order and peace?
People of hope
Christians are people of optimism, people of hope. We are not fearful or fatalistic. Above and outside of creation’s timeline Christ’s victory is already won, but that does not absolve us from taking real action here and now.
Jesus said: “I have told you all this so that you may not fall away… the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is doing a holy service to God. I have told you all this so that you may find peace in me. In the world you will have hardship, but be courageous: I have conquered the world.” (John 16:1,2,33).
The one courageous action we can all take is to allow the Gospel to form our conscience when we come to exercise our civic duty on election day. Will we vote in a self-serving way – for a lower tax, or a restored grant, or a new bypass road? Or will we vote for a better world and for the awesome dignity of human beings?
Candlelit vigils and books of condolence are very well-meaning, but they will not break our society’s free-fall into darkness. We need real prayer – and real action.