Choose Christ over Trump this Lent

Satan has those of us who choose Christ over Trump caught in a crossfire. 

On one side, we have actual, out-front satanists and people who hate Our Lord, firing insults and attacks at us. On the other side, we’ve got MAGA Trump worshippers and whore Trump clergy claiming the only “real” Christians follow Trump. 

Following Jesus has always been an act of resistance against the evils of this world. But in today’s America there are very few places where a true Christian who simply and humbly wants to do what Jesus teaches can feel safe and at home. 

Many of us attend churches which are full of hate and opposition to the Gospels in favor of Neo Nazi politics. The public voice of my own Catholic Church that I see on the internet and in public venues is dominated by right wing spite, slander and malice. The greed for government power and money has overtaken many of our most powerful and vocal bishops. 

It can be lonely, following Jesus in MAGA America. 

Which brings me to today. This is Ash Wednesday. Catholics, Episcopalians, Methodists, Disciples of Christ and others line up in church and get ashes put on their foreheads in the shape of a cross. 

Remember you are dust, and to dust you will return, the priest says as he dips a finger into the ashes and draws a cross on our foreheads. 

As profound as that is, it does not address the dilemma we are facing on this Ash Wednesday 2025. Of course we’re all going to die. That’s not a question. 

The question is how are we going to live? 

If you are alive in this world at this time, there is a reason. You have a purpose. 

Your life is an unimaginable gift. You are a human being. You are a free moral agent who can chose to do evil or good. You can choose satan. Or you can choose Christ. 

Lent is 40 days because the Israelites wandered 40 years in the wilderness, and Jesus spent 40 days in the wilderness, both of them getting ready for the purpose of their existence. 

Satan had a good old time with the Israelites during those years in the wilderness. They griped and complained, worshipped golden calves, turned coward and refused God’s direction, and generally showed the beaten weakness of people who had been slaves for 400 years. God led them around in circles in the wilderness for 40 years until the slave generation had died. He needed free people who were capable of exercising their human freedom to choose Him and live out His calling. 

Jesus’ wilderness time was different. Jesus was God in human flesh and Satan tempted Him directly. Satan offered Christ the same thing he probably offered, in less graphic fashion, to both Hitler and Trump, Satan showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. “All this I will give You,” he said, “if You will fall down and worship me. (Matthew 4:9)

Satan had tempted Jesus repeatedly by the time he said this, and Jesus had evidently had enough of him.  Away from Me, Satan! Jesus told him. “For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only. (Matthew 4:10)

Satan is usually less grandiose with us. When satan comes at ordinary people like you and me, he sometimes comes through other people, beguiling us with promises of being part of the group if we will simply do the evil thing. Other times, he catches us when we’re alienated and alone. He tells us whatever we want to hear. He even pretends to be our friend and benefactor. And if he can use us, he gives us things and protects us for a time. Satan protected Hitler until he couldn’t use him anymore. I think he’ll do the same with Trump.

These are challenging times for those of us who chose Christ.

We are confronted daily with people who parade their Christianity like a sign board, but who also repudiate Christ with every word they say and everything they do. It is an obvious fact that the most vicious, cruel, dishonest, perverted people in our national political life are the ones who are constantly telling us what great Christians they are. 

They attack churches that do not bend their knee to Trump, and I expect that they will eventually try to use the power of government to suppress those churches. They want government-controlled churches that worship Trump and use Jesus Christ for a mascot for his evil.

It is very important for those of us who chose Christ over Trump to stay as close to Jesus as we can. Use this Lent to cleanse yourself of your sins. Pray and ask God to show you your sins. Take a fearless inventory of yourself and set things right by confessing to God and also by apologizing to other people for the harms you have done to them. 

These are challenging times to be a person who chooses Christ over the powers of this world. Many of us have already suffered our share of verbal abuse, and slander. When that happens, offer it up, and rejoice and be glad. They’re giving you the Kingdom of Heaven. 

Use this Lent to do a deep spiritual cleaning on yourself, and not only a cleansing from sin. Give everything to Him. Entrust Him with all your fears, anger, ugly thoughts, sorrow and alienation. 

Use these 40 days as your wilderness time. Let Him heal you and make you clean, whole and fit for His calling.