Votes have been cast. A decision has been rendered. Yes, there was a presidential election this past week, but there has been other voting taking place as well. There always has been. There always will be. Elections, as we’re well aware, can be quite contentious both for the candidates running and the electorate standing often in rather long lines. I remember a time of election concerning myself. I’ve never had a desire to run for any office, but in the seminary, nonetheless, my “hat” was thrown into the ring. Every year in formation at Overbrook, we voted for class representatives. That of “spiritual life” fell unto yours truly. The position involved regular meetings with the Spiritual Director of the Seminary and planning various spiritual activities for the class. Activities included class Holy Hours and communal rosaries prayed. I held this position every year except for one. One year, Shane, my classmate from the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, won the election. My Philly classmates were aghast. Who was the Judas among us? We held the majority! Maybe the election was rigged! He was almost apologetic for winning. We had some rather “interesting,” to say the least, spiritual activities that year coordinated by Shane, whose personality matched his physique. They breed’ em BIG in Oklahoma, we used to say. My Philly classmates vowed that such a “fluke” election would never happen again. It never did. Fr. Shane, on his part, is now doing some “spiritual coordinating” from above. Sadly, his priestly ministry on earth was rather short, but I know that he definitely made a rather large Oklahoma impact during it – and I miss him. We all do. There is some other voting, other than presidential, that has taken place more recently too. It took place not on the first Tuesday of November, but on the last Saturday of October. This is the day that the Synod of the Church ended in Rome. Voting took place among those representing dioceses throughout the world. Every paragraph of the 151 page final document was voted upon. There was surprisingly very little dissent in the voting and the whole Synod ended, in the words of one commentator, “with a whimper.” No radical agenda came forth as some had feared. Perhaps, that’s the big story here. The Church is still one. After perhaps the biggest survey in all time among people throughout the whole world from different countries, cultures, and ethnicities – the Holy Roman Catholic Church remains united as One in Christ. Wow! That’s a miracle in itself! The Pope, himself, has commented that it was not really about the results, but rather, about the process. It was about the undertaking and engagement of a synodal process of consultation in our modern world of differing opinions and objectives that can be recorded and transmitted instantaneously worldwide because of 21st Century technology. Maybe the Synod was most fundamentally about a Church of the 21st Century exercising its 1st Century Mandate in a 21st Century world. Yes, the formal Synod may have now ended, but the “process” and the “voting” will most certainly continue. Elections have always taken place. The first disciples, themselves, voted. Jesus didn’t call an election. He was the Election. Offering an invitation, ballots were then cast. This is the voting that still takes place today. Every day disciples make a choice. We either cast our vote for Jesus or we cast it against Him. He said this Himself at a campaign rally long ago. There is no sitting out this election so important for our future in this life and beyond. Election Day is nigh. There is only one question on this most important ballot. Are you ready to make your choice – and cast your vote?
Peace!
Fr. Wilson