Using Imperfect Vessels

I try to stay away from politics on this blog.  Given what I have seen on social media and other sites, I am glad I do.  Those that know me best know that I have strong opinions on matters political.  I wanted to share a few thoughts elicited by the commentary I have seen following the State of the Union address.

Bloggers and pundits on both sides of the political spectrum have said it was probably one of the best speeches President Trump has ever given.  I leave that judgement up to the readers.

One of the things I find troubling is the criticism, even from some Catholic sites of the President invoking God, and openly defending life and religious freedom.  One blogger, whose posts I read fairly regularly,  intimated the President holds a hypocritical position on the life issue because he talks about the right to life, but Planned Parenthood still gets funded by Congress.

Since it is Congress, specifically the House of Representatives, that initiates all funding bills, they bear the bulk of the blame.  This is further exacerbated by the fact that in the last several years, all appropriated federal funding has been wrapped up in these gigantic Omnibus funding bills that are pushed forward under the auspices of keeping the government open.  Since this ploy is endorsed by both houses of Congress, both are complicit in this farce.  By doing this Congress leaves the President with only one choice.  Veto the bill and precipitate a government shutdown or sign the bill into law and keep the government operating.  A side benefit of this way of doing business from the Congress’s view, is it shifts total responsibility to the President and allows Congress to escape their part in this fiasco.  Personal note here.  Since I worked in the Federal system, I could write a book on the brokenness and malfeasance that is covered up by this tactic.

The fact that President Trump willingly, forcefully and sometimes with a total lack of tact, gives open throated support for the right to life of all of God’s people,  is enough for me at this juncture in our history.

In critiquing Trump, one thing that is cited is Trump’s colorful background.  Yes he is on his third marriage. Yes he has had affairs and flings.  Some even postulated he may have paid for abortions at some point in his life.  Given this, they totally dismiss him out of hand saying he has no right to even say what he says.

I can only answer this way.   God chooses whom he will to do His work.  To say these things denies that personal conversion and redemption is not possible for everyone.  Let’s examine history a bit.

David is considered to be a man of God.  David fathered an illegitimate child with a man’s wife, then arranged for him to die in battle to cover David’s sin.  Yet God accepted his contrition and continued to use Him.

Let’s move forward in history.  Saul of Tarsus was a persecutor  of the early Church.  Scripture tells us that he stood by and watched approvingly as Stephen the Apostle was stoned to death.  He persecuted, arrested and  imprisoned members of the early Church called The Way.  It is reasonable to believe, given the persecution of the time, that some members of The Way probably died as a result of his actions.   Yet it is St Paul who, after his profound conversion, became zealous for the Lord.  He became the Apostle to the Gentiles and evangelized much of the Roman world of his time.  His letters make up a big portion of the New Testament.  He became a Saint.

Let’s move forward further in time.  Augustine was well established in the Roman society of his time.  He taught Rhetoric, which meant essentially he taught the practice of Law.  If you read his book The Confessions, by his own account he was a rounder, a libertine, with a mistress who bore him a son.  Yet after his conversion he went on to become a revered Bishop and one of the greatest theological writers in all of Christendom.   One of the great schools of theological thought is called Augustinian. He was declared a Saint.

Let’s move forward in time again. Dorothy Day is recognized as one of the greatest workers for social justice, Catholic Social Justice,  ever.   In her life she was, to say the least, an activist, a socialist, some say communist.  She help found the Catholic Worker’s Movement.  She had affairs. She bore a child out of wedlock.  She even had an abortion.  She had a profound conversion as well. She has been proposed for sainthood.

I am offering you this very short list of those who were less than perfect in their lives.  Despite that God saw fit to make use of them to advance His agenda.   It is my prayer that God indeed uses this imperfect man. Trump, who is bombastic, who is crude, who is harsh, who is not socially correct, and who may lie or at least embellish the truth, can be used by God for a greater purpose.  Just like God used David, Saul/Paul, Augustine, and Dorothy Day to do His work, may he use President Trump as his imperfect instrument to accomplish his ends.

St. Michael the Archangel,
defend us in battle. Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly hosts,
by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan, and all the evil spirits,
who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls.
– Amen. .