Why do we pray for leaders? Based on today’s excerpts from the Compendium it is necessary to pray for leaders, because as Christians we are obligated to be subject to every legitimate authority.

These authorities are the ones responsible for making and enforcing laws and policies which ensure a society that is calm, just and productive, and enables all of us to fulfil God’s purpose for us. Because leaders have this very important responsibility it is critical that we are confident in their ability which enables us to submit under their authority. Here is what the Compendium tells us about submission”

“Submission, not passive but ‘for the sake of conscience’ (Rom 13:5), to legitimate authority responds to the order established by God. Saint Paul defines the relationships and duties that a Christian is to have towards the authorities (cf Rom 13:1-7).

He insists on the civic duty to pay taxes: ‘Pay all of them their dues, taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, fear to whom fear is due, respect to who respect is due’ (Rom 13:7).

The Apostle certainly does not intend to legitimise every authority so much as to help Christians to ‘take thought for what is noble in the sight of all’ (Rom 12:17), including their relations with the authorities, insofar as the authorities are at the service of God for the good of the person (cfRom 13:4; 1 Tim 2:1-2; Tit3:1) and ‘to execute [God's] wrath on the wrongdoer’ (Rom 13:4).”

“Saint Peter exhorts Christians to ‘be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution’ (1 Pet 2:13). The king and his governors have the duty ‘to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right’ (1 Pet 2:14).

This authority of theirs must be “honoured” (1 Pet 2: 17), that is, recognised, because God demands correct behaviour that will ‘silence the ignorance of foolish men’ (1 Pet 2:15). Freedom must not be used as a pretext for evil but to serve God (cf1 Pet2:16). It concerns free and responsible obedience to an authority that causes justice to be respected, ensuring the common good.”

The next excerpt highlights the need to pray for rulers. The importance of their duties to human salvation, obligate us as Christians to keep them in our prayer. 

“Praying for rulers, which Saint Paul recommended even as he was being persecuted, implicitly indicates what political authority ought to guarantee: a calm and tranquil life led with piety and dignity(cf 1 Tim 2:1-2).

Christians must ‘be ready for any honest work’ (Tit 3:1), showing ‘perfect courtesy towards all’ (Tit 3:2), in the awareness that they are saved not by their own deeds but by God's mercy.

Without ‘the washing of regeneration and renewal in the Holy Spirit, which he poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Saviour’ (Tit3:5-6), all people are ‘foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing [their] days in malice and envy, hated by men and hating one another’ (Tit 3:3).

We must not forget the miserable state of the human condition marred by sin, but redeemed by God's love.”

Next week we will continue this discussion on human authority looking at the instances when human authority goes beyond the limits set by God.

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