Voices of Faith Q & A

Voices of Faith Q & A

The Kansas City Star (TNS)

Q. If Jesus were to address Congress, what might he say?

The Rev. Raymond Davis Jr., emeritus pastor, Greater Corinthian Church of the Christ, Kansas City:

A. What could Congress have in mind to ask Jesus to speak to them in the first place?

And if Jesus were to do so, he would have a page full of political issues to talk about.

Congress is controlled by the Republican Party, so there is one thing that we must rule out as possible subject matter — religion.

Jesus would not speak in this 21st century to this Congress as he spoke to the religious/political circumstances in the days of the scribes and Pharisees.

Those two religious/political groups provoked Jesus the person. They wanted him to respond to their questions regarding his person and his freedom of movement; for example, they resented his healing on the Sabbath (Matthew 12:9-14).

But if Congress asked Jesus to address them, there would be subjects that he has knowledge about that he could speak to. Jesus was a leader and savior of the people. Therefore, his attitude was that of caretaker.

As such, Jesus would touch on issues such as the Affordable Care Act for the health of the people. The Republican Congress rails against this legislation that provides insurance for millions of American families.

Jesus would speak to Congress about the immigration problem that plagues our nation because of Republican resistance to the president’s efforts to solve this problem.

Finally, Jesus would speak to the issue of war, perhaps using a line from the Wounded Warrior Project, “Say a prayer for peace.”

The Rev. Holly McKissick, Peace Christian Church UCC, Kansas City:

A. I can imagine Jesus standing before Congress with the question, “What are you so afraid of?”

Challenging the members to be bold and brave, he would launch into his stump speech proclaiming “good news to the poor, liberty to the captives, sight to the blind, freedom to the oppressed.”

Then he would lay out his platform, calling for a complete reordering of the community, the lowly lifted up, those on the outside brought in.

Those who had ears to hear would put their heads and hearts together, proposing legislation that ensured affordable health care, access to equally resourced schools, protection of the Earth and more.

They’d be so passionate and energized, they just might forget to be afraid.