As a younger lad rising up within the San Francisco Bay Space city of Pittsburg, my college uniform consisted of corduroys the colour of Ash Wednesday, a white costume shirt and a maroon V-neck sweater. I walked west from my household’s residence on tenth Avenue, turned left on Montezuma, and arrived about quarter-hour later on the campus of St. Peter Martyr.
My academics have been nuns, the parish monks have been Dominicans, and Sunday mass was a celebration of religion, humility and style.
I’m not with out sin. I’m an imperfect man and the church is an imperfect establishment.
However I’ve been questioning currently what my favourite St. Peter Martyr academics — Sisters Roberta, Eileen and Estelle — would make of at the moment’s political discourse, during which claims of piety and Christian religion are usually not all the time backed by phrases and deeds, significantly from a sure world chief.
I feel in the event that they have been educating at the moment, the nuns would inform everybody at school to get out their pencils and notebooks and write a letter to the president.
So right here goes.
Pricey President Trump:
Ever heard of St. Peter Martyr College?
St. Peter Martyr College in Pittsburg on Feb. 24, 2025. Jane Tyska — Bay Space Information Group
Most likely not, however I’m an alum. The college was named after St. Peter of Verona, who campaigned in opposition to heresy and paid the value when one of many Cathars sunk an ax into his cranium (what a solution to go). So I assume politics haven’t actually modified a lot over the centuries.
By the way in which, good job not too long ago in your presentation on the Nationwide Bible Museum, the place you launched the “America Prays” initiative to have a good time spirituality and restore “our identity as one nation under God.” And congratulations in your missionary work. I see that you just raked in $1.3 million in your “God Bless the USA Bible.”
Love that you just stated: “To have a great nation, you have to have religion. I believe that so strongly. There has to be something after we go through all of this — and that something is God.”
Effectively put, Mr. President, and unsurprising, given that you just as soon as referred to as the Bible your favourite ebook. However I do know that in my very own life, I have to flip again by way of the pages once in a while to floor myself within the teachings.
Hitting the ebook
So right here’s an concept:
I’ll share a Bible verse, after which I’ll comply with it with a current quote from you. Not that I’m judging, or something. However we would all profit spiritually by asking whether or not, in our personal lives, God would approve of how we conduct ourselves.
Are you prepared?
Corinthians 12: “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude.”
Trump: “You know, Biden was always a mean guy, but he was never a smart guy. … You go back 30 years ago, 40 years ago, he was a stupid guy, but he was always a mean son of a bitch.”
Essay Subject: An obsessive have to demean and diminish others is defined by some behavioral therapists as an indication of insecurity, weak point, or an sad childhood. Write 500 phrases, in cursive, on how any of this would possibly apply to you.
Genesis 2:15: “The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.”
Trump: “This climate change, it’s the greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world in my opinion … all of these predictions made by the United Nations and many others, often for bad reasons, were wrong, they were made by stupid people. … If you don’t get away from this green scam, your country’s going to fail.”
Essay Subject: Regardless of the rising horror of melting icecaps, lethal storms, disappearing coasts and widespread famine, if the Backyard of Eden have been a nationwide forest, would you lay off Adam or Eve, or each of them, and would something forestall you from opening the property to drilling?
John 3:17: “But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?”
Trump: “It’s time to end the failed experiment of open borders. You have to end it now. It’s — I can tell you. I’m really good at this stuff. Your countries are going to hell.”
Essay Subject: Provided that we most likely shouldn’t, as mere mortals, assume divine powers, is condemning somebody to hell — or complete nations, on this case — an act of blasphemy?
Love thy neighbor
Leviticus 19: “The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt.”
Trump: “They’re eating the dogs, the people that came in, they’re eating the cats. They’re eating the pets of the people that live there, and this is what’s happening in our country, and it’s a shame.”
Essay Subject: You as soon as stated immigrants are “poisoning the blood of our country,” and but your late mom and two of your three wives have been immigrants. Have been you ever tempted to have any, or all three of them deported, and in that case, during which order?
Psalm 103: “The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.”
Trump: “Happy Memorial Day to all, including the scum that spent the last four years trying to destroy our country.”
Essay Subject: Provided that Jesus would not going have referred to as half the inhabitants of america scum, and that he most likely would have protested ICE raids at Residence Depots, would you say the son of God was a member of the acute radical left?
Matthew 5: “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven.”
Trump: “I hate my opponent and I don’t want what’s best for them. … I can’t stand my opponent.”
Essay Subject: Which saying do you discover essentially the most offensive and doubtless created by the novel left — flip the opposite cheek, or deal with others as you’ll have them deal with you?
Bonus factors: At what age did you start pulling the wings off of butterflies, and which, if any, of the ten Commandments have you ever not damaged?
Matthew 23: “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
Trump: “I was saved by God to make America great again.”
Mr. President, you lately stated, “I want to try and get to heaven, if possible.”
Hallellujah and amen to that. And sure, it’s potential.
However first you should write and recite, 1,000 instances, the Act of Contrition. (It’s the prayer that ends with: “I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace, to sin no more and to avoid the near occasion of sin. Amen.”)
Sisters Roberta, Eileen and Estelle will probably be ready for you on the Pearly Gates. And belief me — they are going to know should you’ve finished your homework.
Steve Lopez is a Los Angeles Instances columnist. ©2025 Los Angeles Instances. Distributed by Tribune Content material Company.
