What would Jesus say today?

Jesus warned about the dangers of internal division destroying institutions from within. The government shutdown exemplifies how political polarization and partisan warfare prevent leaders from fulfilling their basic duties to serve the people. When a nation's house is divided against itself, essential functions collapse and those most vulnerable suffer the consequences.

Jesus called his followers to show mercy and make peace, not to use violence against the vulnerable. The escalation to deadly force in immigration enforcement contradicts the compassion Jesus modeled for strangers and outsiders. When law enforcement acts without mercy and communities are torn by violence, everyone loses the possibility of God's peace.

Jesus taught that contemptuous, dehumanizing language toward others violates God's command to love our neighbor. "Raca" was an Aramaic insult meaning "worthless" or "empty-headed." Sharing racist imagery that depicts a human being as subhuman is the modern equivalent of such contempt, and Jesus warned that this hatred in the heart is serious sin deserving judgment.

Jesus questioned the value of earthly gain achieved at the cost of what truly matters. Pursuing short-term economic benefits while destroying the environment God created represents a tragic exchange—trading the inheritance of future generations for immediate profit. The planet is part of God's creation entrusted to our stewardship, and ignoring climate science for financial gain forfeits our sacred responsibility.

Jesus taught that serving those in desperate need is equivalent to serving him directly. When a nation's people face starvation and deprivation, the Christian response is compassion and assistance, not indifference or policies that worsen suffering. Jesus identified himself with the hungry, thirsty, and vulnerable, making care for them a measure of true faith and righteousness.

Jesus's Golden Rule calls us to treat others with the same dignity and respect we desire for ourselves. Americans would likely protest if foreign governments demanded access to their private communications as a condition of travel. Subjecting visitors to invasive surveillance we wouldn't accept ourselves violates the reciprocal respect and hospitality Jesus commanded, treating strangers as potential threats rather than neighbors.

In the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus taught that true neighborliness means showing mercy to those suffering, even at personal cost. A healthcare system that leaves people broken by the roadside due to inability to pay contradicts Jesus's vision of a compassionate society. The Samaritan bound the victim's wounds and paid for his care—modeling a system where healing is available to all who need it, not just those who can afford it.

Jesus explicitly identified himself with the stranger and immigrant, making hospitality toward foreigners a test of authentic discipleship. The Pope's call echoes Jesus's teaching that how we treat vulnerable migrants reveals how we treat Christ himself. Jesus was himself a refugee as a child, and he consistently taught that loving the stranger is not optional but central to following him.

Jesus condemned religious and social elites who maintained respectable exteriors while harboring corruption and exploiting others. The Epstein scandal exemplifies this hypocrisy—powerful people presenting polished public images while participating in or enabling heinous abuse. Jesus consistently sided with victims against abusive power structures and warned that hidden evil would ultimately be exposed and judged.

Jesus promised blessing to those who face persecution for standing up for what is right. When government power is used to intimidate and silence those advocating for the vulnerable and marginalized, it echoes the persecution Jesus warned his followers to expect. Those who speak truth to power in defense of the oppressed walk in Jesus's footsteps, even when authorities use legal mechanisms to punish them.