Barack Obama Way

Wendy and I have been confused by some reports we're hearing of things being named "Barack Obama" something-or-other.

Isn't it way too early?

Granted, he is the first African-American president-elect in our history! That's pretty neat. Yes, he has a good story. But, he hasn't done anything as President yet!!!!!

A Long Island Elementary School is now known as Barack Obama Elementary School. Couldn't they wait four years to make sure he actually turns out to be OK?

In a small town in Spain, the main avenue is being renamed Calle Barack Obama. Umm, why?

Babies are being named Barack Obama. Please don't do that yet!

I voted for him and hope, for the good of our country, that he does an amazing job. But what if he's terrible? Do you want to take the chance that you named your baby after a terrible President? I wonder how many little George W. Bushes are running around the country....

I'll say this, I like Obama's VP and cabinet picks so far. I can just see the day when we need to send someone to resolve some issue with some foreign wannabe. Who do we send?

How about, National Security Advisor Jim Jones? Badass!

Not a cabinet pick, but definitely on the Obama team, Senate Foreign Relations Chair John Kerry? He just might tase you bro!

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton? She won't take no one's crap!

And wait, if we really, really have to - if you step up to the US we might just have to unleash Vice President Joe Biden. We might as well give you a head start running. You done gonna get schooled Biden-style!

So, he has done that well. He picks a good team.

I have nothing but high hopes for our President-elect and I try to pray for him and his family every day. But, really, he hasn't done anything yet. Stop naming stuff after him please. Especially the babies. It's way too early.

One conservative blogger put it this way:

Imagine a child getting a trophy for just showing up for a little league baseball game.

Amen to that. I remember having to play a whole season before getting my plastic trophy. Sure, I sucked, but I played. He hasn't even started playing yet!

And, so, as I often like to do, I ask that you pray. Pray for our President-elect, our Vice President-elect, and their team. Expectations are high. I pray they're able to meet them.

A denial I disagree with

In the Roman Catholic Church there has been a lot of talk, going mostly one way, about the denial of holy Communion to pro-choice politicians. The issue has been going on for years.

Four years ago there was talk about denying the Holy Eucharist to John Kerry and nowadays it's about Nancy Pelosi and Joe Biden. Here's what I don't understand: Why would you deny Communion to the people who might need it the most?

Back in 2004, then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (now Pope Benedict XVI) issued a memo to the US Catholic bishops giving guidance on denying Communion to Catholic politicians who support legal abortion. In it he stated that there should be a private admonishment of the sin, but if necessary, there should be a denial of Communion. He wrote that "the minister of holy Communion [is not] passing judgment on the person's subjective guilt, but rather is reacting to the person's public unworthiness to receive holy Communion due to an objective sin."

However, in this "reaction" is this minister not making an actual "judgment" on the politician? The very action of deeming someone unworthy requires the formation of some judgment.

If the Church is worried about the public unworthiness of a public servant, I agree that they should privately chat with the politician, and perhaps even make a public statement disagreeing with the politician's public position. However, denying them the body and blood of Christ does little to change that politician's mind. The Church in this case may be alienating people that they should be trying to form. Jesus gave us Himself in the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist to nourish our souls and bring us into communion with Himself, the Father, and His followers. Talk to them, teach them, let the Holy Spirit guide them but do not turn them away.

What would Jesus do? I propose He would say to the pro-choice politicians, "Stop doing that! Let me tell you why..." and then invite them to dinner.

Read Mark 2:15-17,

While Jesus was having dinner at Levi's house, many tax collectors and "sinners" were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the "sinners" and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: "Why does he eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'?"

On hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."


(Photo courtesy of http://stmartincatholichurch.com)