Most of you reading this have an advantage over me. You know what happened on Election Day.
You might know if a winner was declared. You might know if it’s a close race and votes are still being counted. You might know if someone declared victory or conceded defeat. You might know if people are happy. You might know if people are unhappy.
Despite the fact I don’t know what happened on Election Day, it doesn’t matter. What’s really important doesn’t change no matter who will be the so-called “leader of the free world”.
No matter who wins or won, we have to pray for that person and his or her administration.
Regardless of one’s personal feelings toward either Candidate A or Candidate B, there is no reason not to pray daily for the next president on January 20 and that he or she will have an openness to God’s will, the Holy Spirit, and promoting the common good for all.
There is no reason not to pray for the “side” that lost and that those voters (or ones that sat out for various reasons) will work to make this country grand for all, regardless of party or any other thing that divides us.
There is no reason not to pray for voters on the “winning side” and that they will accept this country as a diverse group of voters that all come from different backgrounds and experiences, and we can pray they truly want freedom and good for all.
There is no reason not to pray for ourselves to be active and knowledgeable citizens who work to bring love and goodness to everyone around us through evangelization.
Red. Blue. Yellow. Whatever. It doesn’t matter. We still have to pray on November 6, 7, 8, and so on.
Dealing with emotions
Whatever the outcome of the election, there are two very primitive and common ways to respond.
They both include the word “sore” — being a sore winner or a sore loser.
I don’t recommend that you do anything that will make you or your neighbor “sore”.
If you thought the election results were good, let your humility be an example to others and get to work, knowing that a lot has to be done to fix a lot of messes here.
If you thought the election was bad, you can also get to work to fix the messes. Don’t let your so-called “opposite” party stop you from being a witness to the Catholic faith and do what’s right and good according to God’s will and the natural law.
Will there be some suffering against the tide of those who would impose an immoral will and actions upon the citizenry of this country?
Yes, this is where the prayer comes in. We need to pray for “strength and courage”.
No one ever said this would be easy.
Thanks to media coverage, elections are two-year dramas with ups and downs and twists and turns. It’s easy to get caught up in it all and be emotionally attached and then feeling burnt out and moody when it’s all over, especially if you feel it was all for nothing.
There is always tomorrow (until the end of the age) so we can be hopeful in hope. It’s never too late (until the end of the age) to love God, love neighbor, and make things better.
A challenge to the country
Whichever “side” you’re on, which in itself is such a limiting concept, I encourage everyone to do something bold and really out there.
Try to find the good in those who disagree with you.
Maybe it’s the repressed and buried deep down Pollyanna in me, but I truly believe there is good and love in everyone.
I believe that even those that have dangerous and immoral ideas and policies are doing so from a motivation of good — albeit very misguided, ignorant, and wrong.
We will never be “united” states until we can look each other in the eye and with love in our hearts and say “I love you, I know where you’re coming from, I think you’re mistaken, and this is why”.
It’s not even a bad thing if two people are saying that to each other about their opposite positions.
Perhaps both flawed and imperfect sides and people can find a common love and goal between the two and come to a better idea than each had separately before.
Imagine more people getting together and doing the same and in larger groups.
Anyone who knows me well knows I am not an optimist. Yet, for some reason, I don’t give up on a good and happy world and a good and happy country, living according to God’s will.
Regardless of who is putting his or her hand on the Bible on January 20, our duty is still the same — know, love, and serve God; love God and neighbor; get us and everyone around us into Heaven.
Thank you for reading.
I’m praying for you.