Look at the world through a Catholic lens, not a political one

Elections are rapidly approaching.  Our bishops have provided a document to help Catholics form our consciences so we can be faithful citizens and help to make the Kingdom of God more present in our culture.  The document is “Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship.” The bishops begin by stating the reality:
But increasingly, it seems, election seasons are a time of anxiety and spiritual trial.  Political rhetoric is increasingly angry, seeking to motivate primarily through division and hatred.  Fear can be an effective tool for raising money. (Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship)
I would like to share some insights from the document. Let me give you my simple guiding principle.  We should look at the world through a Catholic lens, not a political one.  What do I mean?  It means that we should not evaluate the teaching of the Church through the lens of our political positions.  Rather, we are called to be disciples of Jesus first.  We are called to evaluate our political positions through the lens of the Gospel. 
We are not Republicans who happen to be Catholic, nor are we Democrats who happen to be Catholic.  We are Catholic.  We should evaluate every public policy through the lens of the Gospel.  We are called to evaluate policy proposals and candidates through the lens of the Gospel.  We have become very divided and fractured.  It seems as though some of us would not vote for Jesus Himself if He had the wrong letter next to His name on the ballot (a D or an R).
I think it's a good idea to remind ourselves that Satan is always seeking to divide us.  God is always seeking to bring us together.  Just look at the worship that He expects from us, namely to come together to celebrate the Eucharist.
So, how are we to make choices about political positions or proposals?  The Church will not tell us who to vote for or what to vote against.  The Church seeks to educate so that we can have well-formed consciences that will be our guide.  This guide will be more useful than just a checklist.  Rather, “Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship,” provided by our bishops, seeks to help us clarify our Catholic lens so that we can think like Jesus.
— Pat Arensberg is the Director of the Office for Evangelization and Family Life. Email him at [email protected]