If we truly believe … January 15, 2026By Christopher Gunty Catholic Review Filed Under: Amen Gunty Commentary, Commentary, Feature, Maryland General Assembly No one can deny that we live in a nation divided, deeply divided, these days. It’s not just “red” and “blue” states anymore. People seem to have diametrically opposed views on just about every topic. It’s not healthy. And it’s not the way we would live if we truly believe what God has taught us through the Old and New Testaments about right and wrong, about good and evil, about love and hate. If we truly believe what Scripture says, we would not support abortion. We would not repeal the Hyde Amendment, which forbids the use of taxpayer dollars for abortion. As the Lord told Jeremiah, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born, I dedicated you” (Jer 1:5). In recent years, Maryland has put more and more funds into the Abortion Clinical Care Training Program to teach nurses and other non-physicians to perform abortions. Our state should put effort into better prenatal care and more assistance to women and families who want to bring a child into the world, but feel they have little choice and no support. This is where resources such as “Helping Hope Bloom” from the Maryland Catholic Conference come in handy to help individuals and parishes do more to help women in need. If we truly believe what Scripture says, we would not consider the passage of a bill to allow physician-assisted suicide, as the Maryland General Assembly is expected to do this session. Many people who face a terminal illness experience depression and dread as they face the end of life. But there is no compassion in telling these people their best and only choice is to take their own life. As a society, we need to provide more accompaniment for people in this situation, with palliative and pastoral care that allows them to alleviate pain while understanding they are loved by God. If we truly believe what Scripture says, we would welcome the stranger. As the Lord said to Moses, “You shall treat the alien who resides with you no differently than the natives born among you; you shall love the alien as yourself; for you too were once aliens in the land of Egypt” (Lev 19:34). Instead, we treat those who come to the United States as criminals merely for having crossed the border without proper documentation, even if the rest of their life is lived in accord with the American dream to strive and prosper. Yes, our immigration policy is broken, but stopping people in the street and asking for their identification papers is wrong. Deporting people to countries they have never known, detaining U.S. citizens, deploying military forces to cities and shooting protesters is not the path to immigration reform. It’s cruel and purposefully vindictive. Everyone is entitled to due process, and should not be called thugs and worse just because of the color of their skin. If we truly believe what Scripture says, we would feed the hungry and assist those without homes. Instead, during the extended government shutdown last fall, people with SNAP benefits were cut off completely so they did not have a way to get food. People who were already burdened with food insecurity found their way to food pantries and soup kitchens just to feed their families. Following the word of God is not easy. It calls us out of our comfort zones. It challenges us to love our neighbor, radically so. It invites us to remove the beam from our own eye before taking the splinter from the eye of our brother or sister. We need to consider that each person is imbued with the dignity given by God. We need to tone down the rhetoric and see each other as people – flawed and fearful, but also hopeful and holy. We need to see the face of Jesus in every other person. At least, that’s what we would do if we truly believed. Read More Commentary AI literacy: A digital examen for the soul Silence in place of homily at daily Mass Question Corner: Why are there so many different kinds of convents out there? Cardinal Dolan: By no means finished yet What does Christianity have to say about the Olympics? What is the feast of the Presentation? Copyright © 2026 Catholic Review Media Print
