As the HHS mandate continues to ring alarm bells and engender ridiculous and bogus efforts like Sandra Fluke and the “war on women” by politicians, there is another mandate that might perhaps be of a more challenging nature-the mandate of the Gospel to remain in solidarity with the poor and suffering.
While concerns about our freedom of religion are a front burner issue, we, as people of faith, had better begin considering the ramifications of Catholic social service providers remaining true to our Faith. If even a fraction of the Catholic hospitals, support services and related entities should, correctly, refuse to embrace the HHS Mandate, the burden of those who will find themselves in peril remains our concern and our responsibility. No secular government can relieve us of our Christian duty to others.
To simply fight this political battle and “hope” things turn out alright for those who are affected is unacceptable. It seems that with our clear and unambiguous challenge to the government we must embrace a radically more personal response-to personally care for the sick, the aging and the poor. We must, in preparation, begin planning to provide resources-both financial and social-for the purpose of assisting those most vulnerable. We must, truly, feed the hungry, clothe the naked and care for the sick.
This mandate, not from any government, is from God himself. It is perhaps, in a strange way, an opportunity for us to get back to what has historically not been just a corporate or organizational approach, but a very personal taking of responsibility to engage in the corporal works of mercy in a much larger and individual way. If that is the result of this attack on religion, I say “amen”.
I fully support the formal political, social and religious response to this ridiculous governmental infringement but think we should begin realizing the “nature” of a radically secular nation unwilling to embrace the Catholic thought that built western civilization. We must, as the Word of God mandates, remain vigilant and ever ready to love one another as He has loved us.
