Suffering With Joy

Sabbath Moments

June 11, 2011

Awareness of God

Welcome to Sabbath Moments, the weekly meme hosted by Colleen at Thoughts on Grace. These moments we call “Sabbath” are the times when we are “being” rather than “doing” with God, and the times when we are especially aware of His action in our lives. Visit Collen to read about other bloggers’ Sabbath Moments.

This week I had several occasions to see politics affecting people negatively.  I really, really hate politics.  Secular politics and Church politics. I wonder if more people are not hurt by politics than helped.

Today with the internet available to so many, any opiner can freely reveal the length, breadth, and depth of his massive ignorance and lack of moral compass with just the touch of a key.  Reading this stuff unnerves me. As I was mulling over how the lack of charity in politics – Church or secular – leads people down a road away from God, a most happy thought occurred to me.

Heaven has no politics! Now that’s a real Sabbath Moment. My heart and soul turned cartwheels and I jumped up and down in the spirit. You might want to say to me, “Of course, dummy.  No politics in heaven is a given.  Are you just now getting it?”

And I would say to you, “Yep.  This is the first time I’ve thought deeply enough on the subject to see the connection between politics and St. Paul’s 1 Cor. 13:13: And now there remain faith, hope, and charity, these three: but the greatest of these is charity. Charity is the only virtue in heaven and for all eternity.

Charity is first the love of God and second, the love of neighbor.  Since it is the only virtue in heaven, I have to live in my heart and soul now as if I am already in heaven or it’s likely I won’t get there. I have to excise from my life anything that does not lead to greater unity with God and I must try in all that I do, write, or say to act in a way that will lead others to God.  That means restricting myself from giving undue attention to what is going on in politics and the media so I am not distracted from doing what God is asking of me right now.

Balance between what is necessary to know and the sheer sea of nonsense out there comes from a right relationship with God, which is something I have to work on every day.  I must be informed on everything necessary to allow me to vote with moral rectitude. I need not pay attention to anything else.

These conclusions are for me only in my present circumstances.  Others may have to wade a lot farther into the swamp because of their particular vocation.  They may have to engage error and evil more directly and publicly. God obliges me to pray for them that they do their duty in an upright way.  That is charity, too.

Meanwhile I am enjoying contemplating heaven free of politics and the incessant lies that accompany it – a heaven where I and the others who are there will enjoy the total peace of truth and justice in the Holy Trinity.

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V. Praised be Jesus Christ!

R. Now and forever. Amen.

(Click on the link above to read why I am ending my posts with this.)

Tags: politics

11 Comments to Sabbath Moments

1. 

   Hi Barb, what a great reminder that we only have to endure politics during our time here on earth! I’m sure many go in with the pure intention of doing good for those they serve but it is a nasty world they’re entering. I wouldn’t want to be in it for a minute it.
   Noreen Johnson recently posted..A Return to the Abortion Clinic- and a Call to Prayer
Noreen Johnson on June 11th, 2011
2. 

   (You left the link on my site to last week’s sabbath moments post. I will fix it for you)
   This was a great post and I like how you wrote about charity. “Heaven has no politics.”
   Amen!
   Colleen recently posted..Sabbath Moments – Silent Reflections
Colleen on June 11th, 2011
3. 

   Collen, thanks for the fix. I don’t know how it happened that I didn’t link to this week’s post. My brain cuts out now and then and I’m not aware of it!
barb on June 11th, 2011
4. 

   Me either, Noreen. Not a chance I could survive the stress and temptation. But if God calls someone into politics, He will give them the grace to act right. I think we have to pray and do penance for those we elect to office. If more people did that, I think we would have a better result for the common good.
barb on June 11th, 2011
5. 

   Fantastic post, Barb! I wanted to shout YES! when I read this. There will be no politics of any sort in heaven and charity will rule. Your post points out exactly what is most important here on earth and in heaven – love. Do you know what’s odd? I have a blog called “Heavenly Ever After” and one of the things I was going to write about on it (along with other heavenly stuff) was my attempt to “live as if I were already in heaven”. Sort of like practice for the real thing. Tough though because I’m still in the purging stage spiritually. But your words, “I have to live in my heart and soul now as if I am already in heaven or it’s likely I won’t get there” echo in my own heart and when I read your words I thought, “Exactly! This is exactly what we must do.”
   Mary333 recently posted..Sabbath Moments – Family
Mary333 on June 11th, 2011
6. 

   I enjoyed hearing the good news of a politics-free future in glory. And true, if God calls someone into politics He will provide the will and means to accomplish His purpose. Sadly, many claim a mandate from God in total error. Each child of the King must practice discernment when evaluating every ‘servant’s’ behavior in office.
   Lynn recently posted..Joplin Tornado Survivors – Pets Who Bring Peace Among the Ruins
Lynn on June 11th, 2011
7. 

   Yes, Lynn, discernment is the key and for sure we need the Holy Spirit for that!
barb on June 11th, 2011
8. 

   Mary, living that way is really hard for us sinners, but it’s the striving to live that way and knowing that God will give us the necessary grace that keeps me going. And thanks be to God for the sacrament of Confession!
barb on June 11th, 2011
9. 

   I have been trying, with greater and lesser success, to be more philosophical about politics and politicians, keeping in mind that it’s not nearly as important as it’s made out to be. Frankly, it upsets me far more in the Church than it does in governments.
   Kathleen@so much to say recently posted..Sunday Snippets 6-11-11
Kathleen@so much to say on June 12th, 2011
10. 

    I agree with you about the politics. I despise politics. My husband and in-laws are die-hard Fox news junkies so I can’t escape hearing about it, but listening to all the news just fuels my hatred for politics.

    What you wrote about charity is beautiful.
    Carol@simple_catholic recently posted..Sunday Snippets- A Catholic Carnival June 12- 2011
Carol@simple_catholic on June 12th, 2011
11. 

    Carol – I can’t watch most news anymore because of all the lies and misdirection and horror stories of man’s inhumanity to man. Praying works better for me.
barb on June 12th, 2011