Many persons have issues accepting the leadership of politicians over nations. How should the authority of political leaders and governments be viewed?

How much respect should be paid to them? How far should the population go in supporting these persons? Jesus’ response to a number of situations gives us guides as to how far we should go in supporting political authority. 

“Jesus refuses the oppressive and despotic power wielded by the rulers of the nations (cfMk 10:42)and rejects their pretension in having thems elves called benefactors (cf Lk 22:25), but he does not directly oppose the authorities of his time.

In his pronouncement on the paying of taxes to Caesar (cf Mk 12:13-17; Mt 22:15-22; Lk 20:20-26), he affirms that we must give to God what is God's, implicitly condemning every attempt at making temporal power divine or absolute: God alone can demand everything from man.

At the same time, temporal power has the right to its due: Jesus does not consider it unjust to pay taxes to Caesar.” What Jesus teaches us is that God is the only absolute power, and we must give him his due. While we must subject ourselves to the authority of the state or governments, we must remember that God alone can demand everything of man.

We are obligated to assist governments in ensuring that a free and just society is created for all to participate in equally, through things like paying our taxes, attending consultations that require our input on important matters and by voting for those individuals that we think are best able to lead the nation via the principles we looked at last week:

1. The commitment to make God’s plan of salvation visible
2. The ability to assist his/her people
3. To be a defender of the weak and guarantee justice for the people
4. To fight injustice and evil
5. To be wise
6. To be fair
7. To be able to offer hope of a better or improved future
8. To be humble
9. To build peaceful nations

“Jesus, the promised Messiah, fought against and overcame the temptation of a political messianism, characterised by the subjection of the nations (cf. Mt 4:8-11; Lk 4:5-8). He is the Son of Man who came “to serve, and to give his life” (Mk 10:45; cf Mt 20:24-28: Lk 22:24-27).

As his disciples are discussing with one another who is the greatest, Jesus teaches them that they must make themselves least and the servants of all (cfMk 9:33- 35), showing to the sons of Zebedee, James and John, who wish to sit at His right hand, the path of the cross (cfMk10:35-40;Mt 20:20-23).”

What we as a community must guard against are political leaders who see themselves as absolute and final powers and who seek to oppress nations or segments of nations for their own gain. We must not support these persons in any way. We must support persons who exhibit the qualities that Jesus taught his disciples – “they must make themselves least and the servants of all” (cf Mk 9:33-35)

Next week we will look at the early Christian Communities in this discussion of political community. 

Persons interested in purchasing the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, may contact the Justice Desk, Archbishop’s House at 622-6680.