Martin Luther King Day
January 19, 2026
On this blog, I strive never to cross a political line without a clear moral imperative. Today, on the memorial of a fearless prophet for justice, I would be remiss not to comment on our current national socio-political environment.
This administration’s governmental dysfunction can no longer be ignored, excused, or rationalized. It has moved beyond the realm of political differences and polite skirting of “politics” at the dinner table. We are now in the penultimately dangerous dynamic of evil masquerading as good while, in fact, fostering a virtual genocide of anyone who is not white, rich, male, Maga, and subservient to its agenda.
We no longer stand on the doorstep of veiled neo-Nazism, it is consuming us, and many feel helplessly dismayed in its torrent. Look at us! Masked stormtroopers in full military gear, plundering, gassing, murdering unarmed protestors, wreaking havoc on innocent refugees, and teargassing pacifist clergy and children. Weep for our country, seen for decades as the keeper of peace, now threatening and enacting invasion on former allies and weaker countries.
We have a morally rogue President with a spineless Congressional majority to enable him, and an indebted Supreme Court to endorse him. It has become all too evident that we can no longer expect wisdom or leadership from the majority in Congress. There are many heroes there who are fighting the good fight, but they are outnumbered by those who choose to be blind or complicit.
If you are still caught in political denial, please step back into the Gospel. What does our current environment require of us who want to live the Gospel call in our time? Not silence. Not indifference. Not stubborn opinion.
These times require witness, mercy, courage, and accompaniment of those suffering under this plague of evil. You may feel that you can do nothing, but that’s not the case.
You can:
- Refuse to condone any argument that blames refugees, people of color, or moral activists for current unrest
- Persistently write and call your members of Congress expressing your outrage and demand for justice
- Participate to the degree you are able in peaceful protests demanding justice and human rights for all people
- Vote! Vote! Vote! In 2024, 90 million Americans failed to vote! The vote of another 77 million either ignored the bare fascism of Project 2025, or bought into its extremist agenda. We can never let that happen again!
In the words of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King:
The church must be reminded that it is not the servant nor the master of the state, but rather the conscience of the state. It must be the guide and the critic of the state, and never its tool. If the church does not recapture its prophetic zeal, it will become an irrelevant social club without moral or spiritual authority.
And from Bishop Mark Seitz at the El Paso Courthouse:
I make an urgent plea today that the government and immigration enforcement pull back from the edge and respect the sanctity of every human life, the constitutional and civil rights guaranteed to all in this country, to cease actions that degrade the moral and public order, and take action to address the impunity and lack of accountability we are witnessing in the indiscriminate enforcement taking place every day.
My friends, let us pray for courage; let us act with justice; let us live in mercy. Let us take inspiration from a great prophet of our times, Rev. Martin Luther King.
Lavish Mercy 
Thank you for sharing your outrage as together we take up your your challenge to action.
Ruth Kelly RSM
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Courageous and powerful words Sr Renee! THANK YOU! I pray that I will be blessed with the words, with “fire”, I need to refute passive (or negative) positions, words that invite others to “see” what has already happened to our democracy and to God’s church. You write with passion, with vision.
pat Murphy, CSJ
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this is the best, and most thorough depiction of our situation that I have read. Why don’t we hear this spoken everywhere. The complacency in our country rings so, so loud!!
Thank you so much!
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my son lives in Minneapolis in the neighborhood where Reneee Good was murdered – he and his girlfriend recently attended a community meeting at a standing -room only event at a Lutheran Church in his Neighborhood – groups were formed to assist local residents afraid to leave their homes – Groups to help with packaging groceries to deliver to those individuals – groups willing to walk with parents and their children to school because parents are afraid to go on their own – unions in the area calling for a strike this coming Friday. – my son teaches at a local college. Several students have been emailing him stating they’re afraid to come back to campus- heartbreaking and so very scary that this is the United States of America that we are now living in – thank you Sr. Renee for your insightful and passionate words
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Your brave son and all his neighbors are in my steadfast prayers, Maureen. God help us all.
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My parish priest encouraged the support of Trump in the 2016, 2020, and 2024 elections. So did one of our deacons.
When I confronted them on not wanting to hear politics discussed during a homily, the response was that we must support the candidate who will assure the “Right to Life”. Even after Roe v. Wade was addressed by the Supreme Court, they still encouraged Republican support in the 2024 cycle.
It is deeply disappointing that my parish leaders don’t see the bigger picture. Thankfully, our new pope does!
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Exactly, Dee Dee. Life is not so simplistic that we can ignore the bigger picture. “Respect for life” requires respect for TOTAL life.
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Congratulations Renee on this wonderful reflection on the evil that is so diabolical, but also quite tragic for your wonderful country and for our world. We pray with you that wisdom, right judgement and courage will be exercised by your leaders and those of NATO and our countries in the Pacific. I feel deeply for your pain.
Carole McDonald RSM
ISMAPNG
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Thank you, Carole. Your prayers are greatly appreciated.
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Thank you Sister for speaking up and out. Silence is equal to complicity. We must not be afraid to speak the truth as Jesus taught us.
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Sr. Renee, Can you update my email to Fstein518@gmail.com This is an incredible Reflection so spot on, Thank you! Can you reply and let me know you received my new email.
God Bless you, Frank ________________________________
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Thanks, Frank. I will update. God bless you too, Frank.
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