Blog Posts By God's Politics Editor

In the absence of justice, what is sovereignty but organized robbery?  - Augustine + Sign up to receive our quote of the day via e-mail

Just as you drew near to us, Incarnated Christ, draw us into relationship with our enemies.  May we see your Image in them and love them as you do. 

‘Cursed be anyone who deprives the alien, the orphan, and the widow of justice.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen!’ - Deuteronomy 27:19 + Sign up to receive our social justice verse of the day via e-mail

Let your religion be less of a theory and more of a love affair. - G.K. Chesterton + Sign up to receive our quote of the day via e-mail

Lord God, extend our faith so that even when we fail to see the fruit of our planted seeds, we may have the assurance that every inch of soil overturned will lead to a harvest some day. Amen. From Common Prayer

For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us. He has abolished the law with its commandments and ordinances, so that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two, thus making peace, and might reconcile both groups to God in one body through the cross, thus putting to death that hostility through it. So he came and proclaimed peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near; for through him both of us have access in one Spirit to the Father. - Ephesians 2:14-18 + Sign up to receive our social justice verse of the day via e-mail

I cannot persuade myself that without love to others, and without, as far as rests with me, peaceableness towards all, I can be called a worthy servant of Jesus Christ. - St. Basil + Sign up to receive our quote of the day via e-mail

God of Conscience, God of Courage, give us whatever grace we need to work for the coming of the reign of God now, here, and always. Amen. - A prayer by Joan Chittister

I would like the angels of Heaven to be among us. I would like an abundance of peace. I would like full vessels of charity. I would like rich treasures of mercy. I would like cheerfulness to preside over all. I would like Jesus to be present. - Brigid of Ireland + Sign up to receive our quote of the day via e-mail

Lord, keep us from fearfully persecuting the innocent among us. When we are tempted to use the cultural differences of our neighbors as excuses for injustice, convict us of our error. Keep us from turning difference into discrimination. Amen. - From Common Prayer

I was a father to the needy, and I championed the cause of the stranger. - Job 29:16 + Sign up to receive our social justice verse of the day via e-mail

People of faith are in the 'miracle business.'An estimated 200 people of faith gathered in Washington, D.C., on Sunday morning in preparation for the Forward on Climate Rally on the National Mall. The brief prayer service preceded the larger rally of an estimated 40,000 people urging President Barack Obama to take action against climate change and to reject the Keystone XL pipeline.

When an alien resides with you in your land, you shall not oppress the alien. The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God. - Leviticus 19:33-34 + Sign up to receive our social justice verse of the day via e-mail

People always say that I didn't give up my seat because I was tired, but that isn't true. No, the only tired I was, was tired of giving in. - Rosa Parks + Sign up to receive our quote of the day via e-mail

God, as we enter into this Lenten season, teach us once again what it means to use restraint and discipline in a culture that typically promotes excess. Strengthen us as we choose to starve ourselves of our little idols in order to join Jesus in the desert, that we might enter once again into the joy of the Lord — the joy of a new life born out of a death to the old life.

Now after they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, ‘Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.’ Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt. - Matthew 2:13-14 + Sign up to receive our social justice verse of the day via e-mail

Editor's Note: Below is the full text of the 2013 State of the Union on Feb. 12. For a response to the evening's remarks, see Jim Wallis' column HERE.  Fifty-one years ago, John F. Kennedy declared to this chamber that “the Constitution makes us not rivals for power but partners for progress.”  (Applause.) “It is my task,” he said, “to report the State of the Union -- to improve it is the task of us all.” Tonight, thanks to the grit and determination of the American people, there is much progress to report.  After a decade of grinding war, our brave men and women in uniform are coming home.  (Applause.)  After years of grueling recession, our businesses have created over six million new jobs.  We buy more American cars than we have in five years, and less foreign oil than we have in 20.  (Applause.)  Our housing market is healing, our stock market is rebounding, and consumers, patients, and homeowners enjoy stronger protections than ever before.  (Applause.) So, together, we have cleared away the rubble of crisis, and we can say with renewed confidence that the State of our Union is stronger. 

Being a Christan is less about cautiously avoiding sin than about courageously and actively doing God's will. - Dietrich Bonhoeffer + Sign up to receive our quote of the day via e-mail

Lord, help us to see that without unity and solidarity very little can be accomplished as we strive for racial harmony and economic justice. As your children, we are in this together. Amen.

When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to the very edges of your field, or gather the gleanings of your harvest; you shall leave them for the poor and for the alien: I am the Lord your God. - Leviticus 23:22 + Sign up to receive our social justice verse of the day via e-mail

Pope Benedict XVI announced today he will step down on Feb. 28, citing his advanced age. The head of the Catholic Church is 85 years old. Below is the text of his announcement.Dear Brothers,I have convoked you to this Consistory, not only for the three canonizations, but also to communicate to you a decision of great importance for the life of the Church. After having repeatedly examined my conscience before God, I have come to the certainty that my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry. I am well aware that this ministry, due to its essential spiritual nature, must be carried out not only with words and deeds, but no less with prayer and suffering. However, in today's world, subject to so many rapid changes and shaken by questions of deep relevance for the life of faith, in order to govern the bark of Saint Peter and proclaim the Gospel, both strength of mind and body are necessary, strength which in the last few months, has deteriorated in me to the extent that I have had to recognize my incapacity to adequately fulfill the ministry entrusted to me. For this reason, and well aware of the seriousness of this act, with full freedom I declare that I renounce the ministry of Bishop of Rome, Successor of Saint Peter, entrusted to me by the Cardinals on 19 April 2005, in such a way, that as from 28 February 2013, at 20:00 hours, the See of Rome, the See of Saint Peter, will be vacant and a Conclave to elect the new Supreme Pontiff will have to be convoked by those whose competence it is.Dear Brothers, I thank you most sincerely for all the love and work with which you have supported me in my ministry and I ask pardon for all my defects. And now, let us entrust the Holy Church to the care of Our Supreme Pastor, Our Lord Jesus Christ, and implore his holy Mother Mary, so that she may assist the Cardinal Fathers with her maternal solicitude, in electing a new Supreme Pontiff. With regard to myself, I wish to also devotedly serve the Holy Church of God in the future through a life dedicated to prayer.

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities; for there is no authority except from God, and those authorities that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists authority resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgement. - Romans 13:1-2 + Sign up to receive our social justice verse of the day via e-mail

To walk alone is possible, but the good walker knows that the great trip is life and it requires companions. - Dom Helder Camara + Sign up to receive our quote of the day via e-mail

God, we pray today with many Christian leaders for our country's immigration system and the millions of people who are negatively affected by the current standstill in congress. Help our leaders develop a fair and just immigration reform plan. Help us, as the church, to continuously seek ways to love our neighbors and the strangers around us. Amen.