THIRTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME – June 28, 2026
(2 Kings 4:8-11, 14-16; Romans 6:3-4, 8-11; Matthew 10:37-42)
With the celebration of our nation's semiquincentennial
approaching, we should declare ourselves grateful both for our country—whether
by birth or by adoption—and for our Catholic faith. We can add that we are
loyal to both. Our participation in American society has secured for us the
rights necessary to live with dignity, while our baptism has bestowed upon us
the inheritance of eternal life.
Today, the Catholic Church is the largest religious
community in the United States. The current Vice President is Catholic, as was
the previous President. A majority of the members of the Supreme Court are
Catholic, as are many members of the Senate and the House of Representatives. And
many Catholics have given their lives defending this country.
Yet Catholics were not always welcomed in American society.
During the colonial period, laws existed that prohibited the public practice of the Catholic faith and voting rights to Catholics.
Although the Constitution guaranteed religious freedom, in the years before the
Civil War a political party arose whose sole purpose was to limit Catholic
influence. After the war, the Ku Klux Klan directed its hostility first against
African Americans and later against Catholics and Jews. And when John Kennedy
ran for President, he had to face the hateful accusation that he would obey the
Pope before obeying the laws of the nation.
That accusation touches on a statement Jesus makes in
today's Gospel. When He says, “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is
not worthy of me,” we could, in a sense, substitute “country” for “father or
mother.” The Catechism discusses our duties toward civil authority
within its treatment of the Fourth Commandment (nos. 2234-2257). Is it true,
then? Should we love Jesus more than our country? Of course, we should.
For the most part, there is no conflict between love of
country and love of God. Love of country—patriotism—is tied to our
participation in the temporal society in which we live. Love of God is associated
with our participation in the eternal society to which we are called. The two
loves have different focuses, and so we can possess both. It is like belonging
both to a labor union and to the Knights of Columbus. In fact, the two loves
support one another. While our civil society guarantees the freedom to worship
God, the eternal society of God's Kingdom insists that its members be just and
honest citizens of the earthly society in which they live.
There is another reason why these two loyalties should not
conflict. God is the supreme common good. When we honor God with all our
hearts, we contribute to the common good, which is the very purpose of civil
government.
Unfortunately, sooner or later conflicts arise between the
state and the law of God. For some time now there have been proposals that
would require physicians to perform abortions or, at the very least, refer
pregnant women to those who do. Both actions are contrary to our faith.
Likewise, from time to time we hear proposals that would require priests to
reveal what they have heard in Confession regarding the abuse of children. I
can say that I would never violate the seal of Confession for any reason
whatsoever, and I expect no other priest to do so either.
Part of our love for God is obeying Him when He speaks to us
through a faith-formed conscience. Our attitude should be similar to that of
the presidential candidate John Kennedy. When asked whether there could ever be
a situation in which he would follow his faith rather than the law, he replied:
“…if the time should ever come — and I do not concede any conflict to be even
remotely possible — when my office would require me to either violate my
conscience or violate the national interest, then I would resign the office…”
Let us conclude with the words of a saint about what to do
when a conflict arises between faith and government. St. Thomas More was about
to be executed for refusing to recognize the king as head of the Church. His last
words were: “I die the King's good servant, but God's first.”
