Honor thy father and thy mother, Part Two

In tonight’s post, we will conclude our reflections on the 4^th Commandment,

Honor your father and your mother.

We stated last time that this Commandment has implications not just for those under and in parental authority, and also those under and in civil authority.  This Commandment imposes rights and responsibilities to those in authority, and to those under authority.  All authority ultimately comes from God.  It is up to us to exercise it wisely if we have been given that gift, and for those under authority, to be grateful for that gift.   Since it is a gift from God, it must be exercised and adhered to, however, under the guidance of God’s moral law.  None of us are required to obey or exercise authority that goes against the natural or revealed law (see our recent post entitled “The law” for more information about law.)

The Catechism has some words of wisdom for those in civil authority.  It states a few things:

1)      Those who exercise authority should do so as a service. "Whoever would be great among you must be your servant."  (#2235, Matthew 10:37) Those who have authority should consider themselves servants of the people they lead.  (The Pope is often referred to as the “servant of the servants of God”).

2)      The exercise of authority is meant to give outward expression to a just hierarchy of values in order to facilitate the exercise of freedom and responsibility by all. (#2236)     Those in authority must exercise it with an understanding of what values are foundational and those that build on those initial foundations.  For example, life is the fundamental value, without which there can be and indeed are no other ones.  Family life is the foundation of society, without which society crumbles.   All other goods, such as prosperity, and health, can and should be pursued only after those foundational values are secured.   There can no peace unless this hierarchy is respected.  Those in authority must know what values and goods are the highest.  Can we say that about our leaders these days?

3)      Those in authority must respect the fundamental rights of the human person (#2237).  Every person has rights, including those in the margins of society.   Only when these rights are respected, can justice be administered, and peace secured.

How about those under authority?

 For the Lord’s sake accept the authority of every human institution, whether of the emperor as supreme, or of governors, as sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right.  For it is God’s will that by doing right you should silence the ignorance of the foolish.  As servants of God, live as free people, yet do not use your freedom as a pretext for evil.  Honor everyone. Love the family of believers. Fear God. Honor the emperor. 

1 Peter 2:13-17

The Catechism also speaks to those under civil authority (which is all of us).  

1)      Those subject to authority should regard those in authority as representatives of God, who has made them stewards of his gifts… (However) their loyal collaboration includes the right, and at times the duty, to voice their just criticisms of that which seems harmful to the dignity of persons and to the good of the community. (#2238)   We may not like some of our leaders, but they have been at least permitted by God to exercise authority for our good, and we must have a healthy respect for that, and conduct ourselves appropriately.   This does not mean we have to agree with everything they say, or even do what they say (if it is immoral), and we can even critique them.  However, we must honor and respect them, just like we do our parents.

2)      We must follow our leaders and make contributions to the good of society.  Patriotism is a good, one of the ways we exercise the virtue of piety.   We must serve one another, contribute with our talents, pay our taxes, vote, and defend our country if need be.  Part of this can and should be welcoming the foreigner in search of a better life if we have the resources to do so, and conditions are secure enough.

3)      As we have hinted at before, we are not obliged to follow the demands of civil authority if they go against natural law.  If human rights are not respected, or if something goes against the teachings of the Church, we are justified in resisting.   In extreme cases, if authority becomes oppressive, armed resistance is justified if very specific conditions are met as the Catechism outlines (#2243): 1) there is certain, grave, and prolonged violation of fundamental rights; 2) all other means of redress have been exhausted; 3) such resistance will not provoke worse disorders; 4) there is well-founded hope of success; and 5) it is impossible reasonably to foresee any better solution.  This is very much like what we discussed in the posts on the 5^th Commandment: only in very limited conditions, can the use of force be justified.

The final part of the Catechism’s treatment of the 4^th Commandment discusses the Church’s relationship with authority.   It mentions that the Church is separate from political authority, for she points to man’s transcendent destiny.    She invites, not forces, civil authority to measure their philosophies and decisions against this truth about man, that he was created by, and destined for, God the Creator and Redeemer.   If in the political realm, circumstances require her to pass judgments on matters that affect man's eternal destiny, his salvation, then she has a duty to speak out. 

As a lot of us know, this issue of the Church’s relationship with political authority is a sensitive one these days.  Some people feel the Church speaks too much on political matters, some feel it speaks too little.   For example, some people feel when the Church speaks about national budgets, that it is an economic matter and therefore, outside the realm of the Church’s legitimacy to discuss.  However, some in the Church would respond that budgets that hurt the poor affect the salvation of those who create them because we are judged, among other things, by how we treat the least vulnerable among us.   The same holds true on immigration.  Some people feel this is outside the boundaries of what the Church should be speaking on because it is a matter of security, not salvation. but many feel it is appropriate because it is a matter of salvation, again, because we are judged on how we treat those less fortunate. 

This issue dovetails into the larger issue, very sensitive these days, of how authority overall is exercised in the Church.  Many feel the Bishops are not doing a good job of exercising authority because they don’t discipline members of the Church (both laity and clergy) who go astray in their moral lives.    They spend too much time, it is said, speaking out in matters in the political realm, but do not put enough muscle into things going on in the Church.    There is some truth to this argument.  I think, however, a fuller reflection on this topic is for another post at another time.  

For now, let us just take and put into action these principles, and if we do, we will be good leaders, and good citizens, and have a peaceful and prosperous society.  

We have now completed the Commandments that deal with our relationship with our neighbor.  We shall not bear false witness, steal, commit adultery, or kill, and we shall honor our father and mother.  Starting with the next Commandment, our attention gazes heavenly, towards the one we must revere and honor above all else, almighty God.

Joseph, Head of the Holy Family, pray for us.