Could 2017 signal a return to common sense values?

Happy New Year, everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and overall holiday season. I am a little slow easing back into the swing of things at the start of this new year, but am thinking it's time to put into practice one of my New Year's resolutions: to stop procrastinating. Am not off to the greatest start on that, but will try my best!

At the beginning of this new year, there is already so much to talk about that it's hard to focus on just one topic right now. One thing that keeps popping into my head, though, is something that happened toward the end of last year that, to me, seemed like one of the most under-reported international stories of the year: Poland officially recognized Jesus Christ as the King of Poland and called upon Him to rule over their nation, its people and their political leaders. Imagine if this were to ever happen in America.

This declaration took place on Nov. 19 when the Catholic Bishops of Poland in the presence of President Andrzei Duda and many Catholic pilgrims.

"Immortal King of Ages Lord Jesus Christ, our God and Savior," they declared at the ceremony, "bowing our heads before You, King of the Universe, we acknowledge Thy dominion over Poland, those living in our homeland and throughout the world. Wishing to worship the majesty of Thy power and glory, with great faith and love, we cry out: Rule us, Christ!"

As reported by Fr. Paul McDonald in Rorate Caeli and at Radio Maryja, the enthronement or recognition of Christ as King of Poland "was done in the official presence of the president of Poland [Andrzei Duda]" and was repeated at many Polish cathedrals and parishes on Sunday, Nov. 20.

In our increasingly secular world, I wonder if the story got such little attention because of the decreasing belief and faith in God, and therefore the story simply was of little interest, or because the godless in our culture simply didn't want to acknowledge such a significant God-centered occurrence in our modern times. 

Either way, Poland doesn't seem to be the only country in Europe that is starting to at least revisit its Christian roots. France, for instance, is seriously considering electing Francois Fillon as its next president, an openly devout Catholic who is winning votes with his conservative faith and values and promises to preserve traditional values while  upholding France’s Catholic roots. Although he has no plans to overturn the 1975 law that legalized abortion in France, he has promised to “put the family at the heart of all public politics.”

The family is “certainly not a place for dangerous social experimentation”, he said for instance, referring to recently passed adoption rights for same-sex couples.

What's going on in Poland and France seems to follow similar cultural shifts such as those in the UK with the Brexit vote and here in America with the election of decidedly non-establishment Donald Trump. Maybe people are tired of the politically correct mindset that has pushed God out of the public square, replacing the void with more Big Government, terrorism, drug addiction, mass shootings, and various other forms of malfeasance. 

Maybe the direct, albeit, yes, brash approach of Donald Trump will signal to others that it is safe to come back out into the public square and speak freely. We need to speak with love, of course, and I will always advocate for decency and decorum, but ultimately it will be up to us to take back our country and stop fearing the wrath of the politically correct, intolerant left.

While obviously there is so much work left to be done, who knows, maybe 2017 will be the year of fresh starts and the return to common sense, decency and the overall Judeo-Christian values that can turn things around for the better for all of us. At the very least, I have hope.