America, take up your rosaries!

+JMJ+

I am an American living in Canada. The most common question I have been asked lately is, "What do you think about the upcoming election?"

In all honesty, the reality of the election has yet to hit me. The recent Trump/Harris debate reminded me that it is approaching, but nothing can prepare you for those hours when you are parked in front of the TV screen and watching the results unfold live. It is evident to me that when people ask about my thoughts concerning the election, they often try to gauge which candidate I am planning to vote for. Now and then, I will share this information. However, recently, I realized that I do not deeply consider the reasons behind my potential choice. Perhaps it is easy to think, "Well, I am not voting for that person." Sure! But where does this leave us when we get to the polls or, in my case, when I open up my absentee ballot and am faced with the reality of the vote? 

Nowadays, instead of sharing my thoughts on the election or which candidate I am considering, I often share my sadness about being an American living abroad and watching things unfold from a distance. I often tell people that the USA is not what it used to be when I was a kid. I tell them that it pains me to see the horrendous amount of division and complete abandonment of charity we have progressed to. More specifically, as a recent presenter mentioned in a lecture I attended, I lament that Americans and humanity as a whole are losing their grip on civility. The saddest thing is that we could say these things about just about any other country in the world (Canada is certainly not innocent of these significant flaws!). 

I do not have the answers nor wish to discuss how we should deal with these problems politically. What I have realized in the last few years is that, often, the best thing we can do is to leave things in God's hands. This is why I have recently proposed on my social media platforms that my friends and family join me on a 50-Day Rosary Campaign with the intention of God's will being achieved in the US Presidential Election. I am not advocating for any particular candidate to win. I am not praying that someone loses. Instead, I hope that in spreading this idea around, we can start to think about the fundamental goal of this whole election: that God's will may be done in the United States of America and the world at large. We may not have the power to alter our country's course on our own, but through our prayers, we allow God to guide it back to the path He intended. I know the election is 49 days away (as of Sept. 16), not 50. However, I believe the inspiration for this prayer campaign is providential because the 50-day period will lead us up to Election Day and beyond. This will help us pray not only for the election itself but also for peace in the days following it, which often brings its own challenges. Perhaps it can remind us that God will not abandon us should the result be unfavorable and that we should rely on Him even in those following days.

America, do not forget Our Lord. The same God who led the Israelites through the Red Sea, commanded the sun to stand still, delivered the three young men from the fiery furnace, multiplied the fish and loaves for the thousands, raised Lazarus from the dead, and who suffered, died, and rose again—this same God is with us now, before, during, and after this pivotal election. Lastly, let us take Our Lady's hand as we pray the rosary, entrusting our country to her intercession. Through her prayers, may we again become a God-fearing nation, rather than a God-forgetting one.

To learn more about praying the rosary, visit this guide: How To Pray The Rosary.