The President and the People

For John, BLUF:  The President, as the leader of the Nation, is someone worthy of special deference, and Sunday's Mass Readings tell us that.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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"I would not raise my hand against the Lord’s anointed."

The Mass Readings for 20 February 2022:
   1 Samuel 26:2,7-9,11-13,22-23
   1 Corinthians 15:45-49
   Luke 6:27-38

Here is the First Reading:

Saul set off and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, accompanied by three thousand men chosen from Israel to search for David in the wilderness of Ziph.

In the dark David and Abishai made their way towards the force, where they found Saul lying asleep inside the camp, his spear stuck in the ground beside his head, with Abner and the troops lying round him.

Then Abishai said to David, ‘Today God has put your enemy in your power; so now let me pin him to the ground with his own spear. Just one stroke! I will not need to strike him twice.’ David answered Abishai, ‘Do not kill him, for who can lift his hand against the Lord’s anointed and be without guilt? The Lord forbid that I should raise my hand against the Lord’s anointed! But now take the spear beside his head and the pitcher of water and let us go away.’ David took the spear and the pitcher of water from beside Saul’s head, and they made off. No one saw, no one knew, no one woke up; they were all asleep, for a deep sleep from the Lord had fallen on them.

David crossed to the other side and halted on the top of the mountain a long way off; there was a wide space between them. He called out, ‘Here is the king’s spear. Let one of the soldiers come across and take it. The Lord repays everyone for his uprightness and loyalty. Today the Lord put you in my power, but I would not raise my hand against the Lord’s anointed.’

I take this to say, to me, that we need to be careful about going after the head of the nation.  .

And here is what Saint Paul says in his Letter to the Romans (13:1-6):

1 LET every soul be subject to higher powers: for there is no power but from God: and those that are, are ordained of God.
2 Therefore he that resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God.  And they that resist, purchase to themselves damnation.
3 For princes are not a terror to the good work, but to the evil.  Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power?  Do that which is good:  and thou shalt have praise from the same.
4 For he is God's minister to thee, for good.  But if thou do that which is evil, fear:  for he beareth not the sword in vain.  For he is God's minister:  an avenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil.
5 Wherefore be subject of necessity, not only for wrath, but also for conscience' sake.
6 For therefore also you pay tribute. For they are the ministers of God, serving unto this purpose.

Saint Peter says much the same thing in 1 Peter (2:13-17):

13 Be ye subject therefore to every human creature for God's sake:  whether it be to the king as excelling;
14 Or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of the good:
15 For so is the will of God, that by doing well you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:
16 As free, and not as making liberty a cloak for malice, but as the servants of God.
17 Honour all men.  Love the brotherhood.  Fear God.  Honour the king.

Yes, there are times to stand up and say "No More".  We did that in 1776, with the Declaration of Independence, against King George III, of Englnd.  And God seems to have blessed that undertaking.

However, to rise up against the King (or other leader of the nation), one needs to be very sure.  Otherwise it is fine to campaign against a national leader at election time, but to otherwise disparage such a leader, or to be disrespectful, seems wrong.  Yes, President Biden exhibits characteristics that bother me, and has policies i don't favor.  As a Blogger I feel free to critique the President's performance, but not in a disrespectful way.  However, I think it is my duty, as an American and as a Christian, to pray for him and to show respect for him and his office.

For me, a corellary is that Presidential Candidates should not be prosecuted for crimes connected to campaigning.  My carving out does not apply to members of the Candidate's teams.  However, we should not wish to settle into some sort of Banana Republc, where losing leaves the candidate vulnerable to actions by the winners.  Just as Impeachment should not be spent on frivilious matters, so should Presidential Candidates not be legally harrassed during and after a campaign.  Which is not to say a candidate "could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody," and not be prosecuted.

Regards  —  Cliff