Election Day Reflection: Agents of Reconciliation
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October 31, 2024Religion and Politics: Agents of ReconciliationIt is worth remembering, and reminding those in our care, that we have a savior who will not be elected on November 5th. Politicians and governments come and go, but Christ our King reigns forever. He does not reign vaguely or in some distant place, but in us. Through our baptism, Christ is in us, and we are in him. As sons and daughters of our heavenly Father, we are sent out like Christ to bring his message to those in our care.
Whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come. And all this is from God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ and given us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting their trespasses against them and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. So we are ambassadors for Christ, as if God were appealing through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God (2 Cor. 5:17-20)
In this passage, St. Paul encourages us to live out our baptismal calling whereby the “old things have passed away and behold, new things have come.” Being a Christian is not only to profess faith in Christ, but to live as Christ – we are called to be agents of reconciliation. God does not have you where you are by accident: You were made for such a time as this.
We in Christ have been given a share in his ministry of reconciliation, making us both ambassadors for Christ and agents of his reconciling love. Reconciliation means neither giving up the truth and faith you hold dear, nor does it mean coercing others into agreement. Reconciliation means the renewal of relationships. Just as Christ restored our relationship with God, we, too, are called to that same restorative love in our communities.
Being entrusted with the message of reconciliation means we have been entrusted with the Good News. Harris and Trump dominate the news. They are not the Good News. The deep division in our country centered around politics (and the consequent wounds that fester in families, among friends, and in our communities) is exactly why we need the Good News.
In this political climate, we have one of three choices: (1) Cause division by fanning the flame of political discontent; (2) Do nothing and ride out the political storm in silence (out of fear basically bury our talent in the ground); (3) Live life as new creations who bring Christ’s reconciliation to our communities.
How? Avoiding politics is not the answer, but, amid political discussions that are destructive and divisive, be an agent of reconciliation by remembering and speaking the truth of who will actually save us.
You were made for this.
