Divine Mercy vs. Dictatorial Mercilessness

There had been rumors circulating the past week or so about a meeting between the Pentagon and the nuncio (the Vatican ambassador to the U.S.) in January. Apparently, the administration did not like Pope Leo’s call for peace in his Easter Urbi et Orbi message. The under secretary apparently said, “America has the military power to do whatever it wants in the world. The Catholic Church had better take its side.” It was also rumored that they made reference to the Avignon Papacy, implying that military power can be used to control the Church, or that a nation can install its own puppet pope. I didn’t initially have too many thoughts on it; the meeting was confirmed, but the specifics were rumor. The Vatican released a statement saying that it was pretty much a normal meeting and the media narrative wasn’t factual.

But it was clear that the pope’s message of peace and the administration’s message of war were at growing odds. That is probably obvious for anyone paying attention, but the rumors of the meeting conflict brought it out to light. It was further highlighted when, on Easter, the holiest day of the Christian year, instead of a message of blessings or resurrection, the president posted a threat to blow Iran back to the Stone Age. Two days later he further threatened that a “whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again.”

In his Urbi et Orbi message on Easter (his first Easter as pope), Pope Leo XIV noted that Christ is victorious, but that victory is non-violent. He spoke against war, private interests, and inhumane treatment. He spoke of unity, peace, and freedom. “Let those who have weapons lay them down! Let those who have the power to unleash wars choose peace! Not a peace imposed by force, but through dialogue! Not with the desire to dominate others, but to encounter them!.... On this day of celebration, let us abandon every desire for conflict, domination, and power, and implore the Lord to grant his peace to a world ravaged by wars and marked by a hatred and indifference that make us feel powerless in the face of evil.”

On April 11, Pope Leo held a prayer vigil for peace, inviting those around the world to join. As the faithful prayed the rosary, representatives from five continents lit candles from the eternal flame at the tomb of St. Francis of Assisi, a flame that symbolizes peace. 

In his remarks, Pope Leo said, “Enough of the idolatry of self and money! Enough of the display of power! Enough of war!...It is here that we find a bulwark against that delusion of omnipotence that surrounds us and is becoming increasingly unpredictable and aggressive. Even the holy Name of God, the God of life, is being dragged into discourses of death.”

And administration sympathizers argued that pope was going too far, that the war was necessary, that he should stay out of political messages. Though he did not mention any specific name, country, or conflict, those who rage war apparently recognized themselves in the pope’s admonishment of violence. 

On April 12, Divine Mercy Sunday, the president unleashed a tirade ranting against Pope Leo. Amidst the ramble that included sidebars on COVID, the stock market, and drug cartels he said, “Pope Leo is WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy….If I wasn’t in the White House, Leo wouldn’t be in the Vatican. Unfortunately, Leo’s Weak on Crime, Weak on Nuclear Weapons, does not sit well with me, nor does the fact that he meets with Obama Sympathizers like David Axelrod, a LOSER from the Left, who is one of those who wanted churchgoers and clerics to be arrested. Leo should get his act together as Pope, use Common Sense, stop catering to the Radical Left, and focus on being a Great Pope, not a Politician.”

Later that night, he posted an AI picture of himself literally as Jesus healing the sick. (Don’t forget he posted an AI picture of himself as pope during the conclave.)

I’m tired of the apologists trying to either downplay the contradictions between the administration and Christianity. Apparently Pope Leo is too, because, though he hadn’t been naming names up to this point, he responded to the tirade on his flight to Algeria this morning, saying to a reporter, “To put my message on the same plane as what the president has attempted to do here, I think is not understanding what the message of the Gospel is. And I’m sorry to hear that but I will continue on what I believe is the mission of the Church in the world today.”

He added to a different reporter, “I’m not afraid of the Trump administration or of speaking out loudly about the message of the Gospel, which is what the Church works for.’'

It should be so easy for Christians to look at the two messages and know which is right, which is moral, which is Christian. And yet, far too many believe in a Christian nationalist fantasy, that if Christianity is imposed by force, then they will be rewarded for loyalty. They justify horrible atrocities and hold up unvirtuous men. They are loyal—blindingly loyal—to their false prophets. They literally think they are more Catholic than the pope.

Pope Leo is doing what all Christians are called to do: announce the Gospel. That includes denouncing injustice, violence, and worldly delusions. Of course it will anger those who are antithetical to the Good News. A message of love and mercy should not be controversial. May it be the message that ultimately reigns.

Lord, mercy on us and on the whole world.