Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

It is abundantly clear that the assassination of Charlie Kirk is impacting our society at large and many hearts and souls in this parish community. I am not familiar enough with all his views and work to give him an endorsement, but from what I see, I suspect we would find ourselves in agreement on many things. The more I read and hear about the man, the more I find myself sad: sad that a father and husband was violently murdered, sad that the exchange of ideas, even provocative or challenging ideas, is so often seen as a threat, sad that some version of reality is being pedaled in our world in which murder is considered an acceptable response to disagreement. No family should have someone taken from them in such a violent, sudden way. Ideas, even if they are challenging or provocative, are things to be engaged with intellectual curiosity, not with physical force. Murder is never acceptable. From the little I know about Charlie Kirk, two things stand out. First, he was a man of sincere Christian faith who let his engagement in the public square flow from his relationship with God. Second, Charlie Kirk was a man who believed in the importance of telling the truth and having conversations about passionately held beliefs in a dispassionate, rational, and honest fashion.

Beginning with the latter and moving to the former: we all should be reminded that, as Catholics, we hold to truth. We believe certain things and we believe them with certainty. The great Archbishop Fulton Sheen is quoted as saying “Tolerance applies to persons; intolerance applies to ideas.” We need not tolerate false ideas, ideals, or ideologies. It is a work of mercy to instruct the ignorant, it is a work of charity to correct what is incorrect. When someone espouses an idea that is wrong, it is perfectly acceptable (and must be acceptable in a civil society) to engage in a sincere correction of those ideas, and even, if necessary, to repudiate them. Persons, however, are always worthy of being treated with dignity and respect. Christian charity teaches me that no matter how much I find your way of thinking or acting to be abhorrent, I am still called to treat you with dignity and charity. This seems to me to have been the approach Charlie Kirk took with his interlocutors. Furthermore, it seems that he did this because of his Christian faith, because Jesus corrected sinners and incorrect ideas, but always tolerated and loved the persons He encountered.

Lest it seem that I am making an overly enthusiastic connection between Mr. Kirk and our Lord, I’d suggest we turn to the Gospel of this Sunday. Luke’s Gospel presents us with an odd parable: a dishonest steward is praised for his shrewd dealings. Our Lord uses this parable to highlight that we cannot serve two masters. It is impossible to serve God and mammon. While there is often handwringing over the loss of religion in our country, the reality is that we have simply replaced our religion (Catholicism, Christianity, or even just Judeo-Christian values) with a different religion. This false religion is hard to pin down and name, but it often sees politicians as saviors, disagreements as violence, and anything less than full celebration and acceptance of its ideals as permanent, existentially threatening enmity. This is where the hatred and anger come from. This is what is constantly being shoved down our throats in the news and on social media. This is a false religion that is relentlessly seeking converts. We cannot have both religions, Jesus teaches us. Either we take the path of the world and end up worshipping ourselves as the sole arbiters or reality, or we worship God and recognize our place in the order of creation, and from that place, set about the work of the right and just ordering of society. The murder of Charlie Kirk should make each of us take a look inside. Who do we worship? At what altar do we commune? We cannot serve God and mammon, we cannot claim to worship God and look to any other person or source for salvation. With all the questions and fears swirling in our world today, the fundamental question is this: who will you serve? May we all answer in the powerful words of Joshua 24:15: “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

Peace,

Fr. Sam