One of my favorite icons is the Palm Sunday icon. Jesus didn’t ride into Jerusalem on a noble steed ready to colonize and force his will on others. He rode into Jerusalem on a donkey in humility. He also came to share unconditional love with those who the religious elite rejected. Jesus only criticized the religious elite, not the woman at the well, not the tax collector, and not those who didn’t and/or were incapable of “living up to the ideal.”
Currently in American culture and other regions where right-winged fascism is growing, undoubtedly we have a repeat of the religious elite trying to further harm the oppressed, the marginalized, and the disenfranchised. If Christians who are “pro-all lives,” not just “pro-unborn” are going to stay in the Church, we had better hold to account those who actively treat some lives as less valuable than other lives or some lives as more valuable than others. This is particularly true with those who actively legislate against anyone who is not white, straight, Republican, neurotypical, and “Christian,” both in the Church and broader society.
Our country’s particular obsession with guns and being more concerned about the second amendment than the lives of school children shows just how badly bigotry and hatred are rooted in our country.
“Jesus didn’t say, “Blessed are only those who are anti-abortion, anti-gay marriage, pro-gun extremists.”
Jesus said in Matthew 5:1-12,
Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn,
For they shall be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek,
For they shall inherit the [a]earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
For they shall be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful,
For they shall obtain mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
For they shall see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
For they shall be called sons of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus also said in Matthew 25:40, “Whatever you do unto the least of these, you do unto me.”
With Palm Sunday leading up to Holy Week, this is the perfect time to re-center our faith away from right-winged extremism and focus on the Gospel and Catholic Social Teaching.
Jesus came for the disenfranchised, the ones society rejected. If we claim Christ’s name, we need to follow His command to love the Lord our God with all of our mind, soul, and strength and love our neighbor as ourselves.
For it says in Matthew 25:35-45
35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers,[f] you did it to me.’
41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ 44 Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ 45 Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.
For the Catholic Church teaches that all lives are equally-sacred, not just some lives.
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