Fr Robert Hendrickson

Dear Friends,

I am going to write two sentences. One will annoy half of you and the other will annoy the other half!

In 2000, I voted for George W Bush. I was excited when he won. He had talked of a compassionate conservatism that resonated with me and I was so tired of the scandals of the Clinton years. In 2004, I voted for John Kerry. I was appalled at what had happened with Abu Ghraib and the defense of torture and the aftermath of the Gulf War was proving to be anything but Mission Accomplished. I was so depressed when he won re-election. I didn't know where the compassionate conservatism had gone in the midst of all the zeal after 9/11.

I write that to say, having just watched the speeches by Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, that some of you are elated and full of hope at the promise of a new presidency. Some of you are dejected and cannot understand why the country would make such a choice. Some of you are probably just sick of campaign ads and glad it's done - that may be all of us actually. I get all of that - I have felt it all!

No matter how we all feel now, elated or dejected, we are bound to be disappointed by politicians. Here is the thing I have come to believe though - every Christian should always be disappointed by every politician. Politics requires compromises that should make Christians uncomfortable and disappointed. I will give you two examples. While many liberals remember the Clinton and Obama years fondly, we should not forget that Bill Clinton set in motion policies at the border with the express intention of causing more deaths. Barack Obama was being called the "deporter in chief" and drone strikes in his administration killed thousands of innocents abroad.

Christ gives us this command that is bound to cause disappointment: Be perfect as your Father in Heaven is perfect. Striving for perfection, for perfect love of God and neighbor, will always mean we will come up short - we will be disappointed. Jesus knew we couldn't be perfect - but he blesses the trying. We should know too that we will be disappointed by our politics - yet we should strive all the harder for a more just, loving, and generous world and not be content with the compromises of our days.

Whatever we think about politics - Christian ethics regarding the dignity of life and the sanctity of life cannot brook those compromises. We should always be pushing our elected leaders to do more to protect the least and the lost, the poor and the outcast, the victims and those seeking safety. That is who we are. That is what we are about. So while we may get excited about an election, we are always being called to remember that those elections are being fought in systems beset by sin. We should always be disappointed with our leaders and never be too quick to believe that they are perfect and can do no wrong.

Even the ones we like - maybe even love - can and will do wrong. It is the task of Christians to maintain our centered focus on the Gospel imperatives and not let ourselves be blind to the plight of those who will suffer under good leaders and bad. So whether you are dejected or elated today let us retain our true hope in the redeeming love of Christ. That love will never disappoint and it is always calling us to see clearly, speak truthfully, and to let our hearts be filled with compassion.

Yours in Christ,

Fr Robert