The Gospel was clearly proclaimed at the National Cathedral on January 21st during a homily by Bishop Mariann Budde. She didn’t get partisan or combative. What she did, with grace, courage, and pastoral authority, was remind the powerful that the powerless are afraid right now and she pleaded for mercy on behalf of the fearful and hurting. In measured tones and polite verbiage, she modeled the Golden Rule (treat others the way you’d want to be treated) and the Great Commandment (love everyone). What shepherd of Jesus’ sheep wouldn’t do just that? Isn’t that our message no matter who is in the room? Oh, did I mention, that Donald Trump was in the room? Well, because he wasn’t praised, and worst (heaven forfend!), was asked to be kind, Mr. Trump called the homily boring. Later, on his social media platform (fully on-brand I might add), he verbally attacked the bishop calling her a “radical hardline Trump hater”, ungracious”, “nasty”, and “not compelling or smart.” Of course, Trump has a long habit of calling women who are critical of him “nasty” and, or “not smart.” His misogyny is consistent. Years ago when Trump, seemingly as a publicity stunt, posed in front of a church in Budde’s diocese holding a bible upside down, she complained then that his use of the church space without clearing it with the diocese was inappropriate. When Trump was seemingly shot, Bishop Budde said that was praying for him. A woman who prays for her enemies and asks people in power to restrain their power toward the vulnerable doesn’t sound like a radical hater of any kind. In fact, as I said at the start, she seems to be modeling the gospel, which is antithetical to everything Trump stands for, at least in his public persona. Well done Mariann Budde. Keep preaching love and mercy; only nasty people will ever call that nasty.
