By Moe Wosepka, Executive Director
Montana Catholic Conference

A few years ago, one of the volunteers from Good Samaritan’s nursing home ministry told me about a resident she met through that ministry. Our volunteer had grown quite fond of this particular resident and spoke of her often. She had great joy of life and a wisdom that she shared with visitors. Both the volunteer and the resident looked forward to spending time together on a scheduled day each week.

On this day, the volunteer told me a story this lady had shared.

“If we could stand on a really tall hill and be able to look over all of humanity,” the lady told her, “we would see that almost everyone is moving in the same direction. It doesn’t always seem like it down here because we only see part of people’s lives, just what’s going on right now. But if we could get high enough, we would see that no matter where people lived, they pretty much want the same things for themselves and for their families. They are all moving in the same direction.

“If we keep watching we will see some of the people get out of line and start off in another direction. They will try to get where they are going in that new way, but after a while many of them will discover they made a mistake, so they will return to where they were and try to get back in line. Sadly some of those in line will turn them away, and not let them back in.

“People make bad decisions at times,” she continued. “Sometimes they stumble and fall, but we shouldn’t look down at them. We should pray for them and when they return, we should reach out our hand and help them back in. That’s what Catholics should do. Catholics should save their place in line.”

The story is the story of the prodigal son, told in another way. It’s my story and perhaps yours. It’s the story, experienced by many of us, of stepping out of line and trying to get back. It’s the story of turning away those who try to return, or reaching out our hand to help them back in.

It’s a story that reminds me of the election season and the overload of information that will be piled upon us as we try to make our voting decisions. Some of what we hear and read will be civil, some not, some true, some not so true.

I believe that most of us are moving in the same direction. Often we express ourselves differently and think the direction we take is a better way to get there, but we still want the best for ourselves, our families and our country.

Let us pray for guidance before we go to the polls, and let us be civil in our discourse with those we will vote for and those who will not get our votes. Let us remember that at times, even those who don’t seem to be in agreement with us on public policy issues ultimately want the best for all. They may have a different way of getting there, but they want similar things. Some may get out of line, but we shouldn’t look down on them. As Catholics it’s our job to hold their place in line and reach out our hand to pull them back when they return, not turn them away, just as we would want if it were we trying to get back in.


Moe Wosepka is the executive director of the Montana Catholic Conference. He may be reached by phone at 406-442-5761 or by e-mail to director@montanacc.org. Visit www.montanacc.org for more information.


Published in The Montana Catholic Online, Volume 26, No. 9, September 17, 2010.