In the Gospel, Our Lord states, “Give therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” What is the purpose of civil authority? The Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church teaches, “Christ reveals to human authority, always tempted by the desire to dominate, its authentic and complete meaning as service” (Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, 383) (emphasis mine). In other words, those who want to govern, should desire to serve their brothers and sisters, should desire to give their lives in service. The Catechism completes this statement as it says, “God has not willed to reserve to himself all exercise of power. He entrusts to every creature the functions it is capable of performing… (CCC 1884). In other words, God has willed that men and women co-govern the world with Him, according to the way that they are capable. Some govern in the family, others at work, others still in the political sphere, in government. The Catechism continues: “The way God acts in governing the world, which bears witness to such great regard for human freedom, should inspire the wisdom of those who govern human communities. They should behave as ministers of divine providence” (CCC 1884). So, God governs the world with due attention to human freedom. Those who govern us civilly, should act as “ministers of divine providence,” a statement that is both beautiful and supremely exigent. To be a minister of divine providence means entering the political order to serve, and not be served. “Praying for rulers, which Saint Paul recommended even as he was being persecuted…indicates what political authority ought to guarantee: a calm and tranquil life led with piety and dignity” (Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, 381) (emphasis mine). Ensuring a calm and tranquil environment, that leads to piety and dignity, is something that should be the goal of civil authority. Citizens, on the other hand, should, as much as possible model, as the Compendium puts it, “free and responsible obedience to an authority that causes justice to be respected” (Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, 380). We ought also to pray for our rulers, our civil authorities, something which we do regularly in the prayers of the faithful during Mass. What happens when civil authority oversteps its bounds? St. John Chrysostom teaches, “When you hear this command to render to Caesar the things of Caesar, know that such things only are intended which in nothing are opposed to religion” (Catena aurea, vol. 1, pg. 611, 2014). “Preserve a conscience void of offence for God” says St. Hilary (Catena aurea, vol. 1, pg. 611, 2014). In other words, only God, speaking to us through the voice of a properly-formed conscience, has the right to “demand everything from man” (Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, 379). The Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church goes further: “When human authority goes beyond the limits willed by God, it makes itself a deity and demands absolute submission” (Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, 382). When civil authority goes beyond its limits, it puts itself in the place of God. In front of such an abuse of power, oftentimes the resistance of the martyrs is called upon. “In the end, Jesus affirms the propriety of fulfilling civil duties while emphasizing our primary goal of serving God” (Ignatius Catholic Study Bible New Testament, Scott Hahn ed., pg. 46, 2010).
October 22 is the liturgical memorial of St. John Paul II. Saint John Paul II was very much the Pope of the Missions. Pope John Paul II inaugurated his pontificate on World Mission Sunday – October 22, 1978 – exactly 45 years ago, to the day. On that day, in his homily, the Pope said, “So often today man does not know what is within him, in the depths of his mind and heart. So often he is uncertain about the meaning of his life on this earth. He is assailed by doubt, a doubt which turns into despair”…The Pope continued, “Precisely today the whole Church is celebrating ‘World Mission Day’; that is, she is praying, meditating and acting in order that Christ’s words of life may reach all people and be received by them as a message of hope, salvation, and total liberation” https://aleteia.org/2023/10/21/st-john-paul-ii-began-his-pontificate-on-world-mission-sunday/ (accessed on October 21, 2023). Pope Francis offers us his thoughts for World Mission Sunday 2023, as he writes, “the Risen Lord remains close to his missionary disciples and walks beside them, particularly when they feel disoriented, discouraged, fearful of the mystery of iniquity that surrounds them and seeks to overwhelm them…The Lord is greater than all our problems, above all if we encounter them in our mission of proclaiming the Gospel to the world. For in the end, this mission is his and we are nothing more than his humble co-workers, “useless servants” (cf. Lk 17:10)” https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/messages/missions/documents/20230106-giornata-missionaria.html (accessed on October 21, 2023)
This Friday, October 27th, Pope Francis has invited to us take part in a day of prayer, fasting and penitence, for the intention of peace in the world. As we do so, let us keep in mind of the suffering of civilian populations, especially in the Gaza strip, but also in Ukraine and Israel. In the Gospel, Our Lord states, “Give therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” As we render our dues to civil authorities, we reserve total obedience to God alone. We pray that Mary, the Mother of God, the Queen of Missions, may support all missionaries with Her maternal protection and care. And may St. John Paul II pray for us, as we pray for peace in the world.
(Fr. Paweł Ratajczak, OMI, Oct. 22, 2023)