Faith, Religious Liberty and Human Suffering
October 1, 2012 by O'Meara Ferguson
Filed under Daniel Conway, O'Meara Ferguson News
From Dan Conway’s The Good Steward, October 2012
The salvation of the world does not come, in the final analysis, from a transformation of the world or a political system that sets itself up as absolute and divine. We must, indeed, go on working to transform the world, soberly, realistically, patiently, humanely. But mankind has a demand and a question that go beyond anything politics and economics can provide, that can be answered only by the Crucified Christ, the man in whom our suffering touches the heart of God and his everlasting love.
– Pope Benedict XVI
In an election year, it’s more important than ever to remind ourselves that politics, law, government, economics and social policy can only go so far in the effort to “transform the world.” It is our duty as faithful citizens to work tirelessly to build a better society and to elect women and men who will lead us with honor, integrity and vision. But we dare not delude ourselves. Our salvation will not come from politics or economics. It can only come from “the Crucified Christ, the man in whom our suffering touches the heart of God and His everlasting love.”
During this Year of Faith we are reminded that disciples of Jesus Christ have a special responsibility to be stewards of religious liberty. The freedom that we enjoy as Americans entitles us to place our faith in God above all else. We are free to believe, and to practice what we believe, precisely because the founders of our nation knew that placing our trust in people or in political systems is a profound mistake. In God we trust. Everything (and everyone) else must be subjected to careful scrutiny, to the checks and balances built into our Constitution and the rule of law …
