5 December.  Many countries around the world are gearing up for elections of national or local leadership, sometimes voting for specific individuals or for political parties but, whatever form their government and the election processes take, there is plenty of in-fighting, criticism and vilification of opponents in the battle for power, which it what it is. Parties issue their manifestos and it is up to us the people to check how true they are to the values they express.  In our country with the unfinished business of dealing with State Capture, and corruption, a scourge, who does one believe?   Who can convince the voters and what political points have they scored?  Voter education, of the youth but also of older persons should be done in families too  and I would like to think that the new synodal approach, of sharing and listening, rather than arguing and scoring points, would be a helpful way to go about it.  Each time around we hope and pray for wise and ethical leaders.     

Scripture:  On that day there shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse and a branch shall grow out of his roots.  And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him the spirit of wisdom and understanding.   He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide by what his ears hear, but with righteousness he shall judge the poor and decide with equity for the meek of the earth. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.   Is  11:1-10.  Pope Francis:  Not every increase in power represents progress for humanity.  We need only think of the admirable technologies that were employed to decimate populations, drop atomic bombs and annihilate ethnic groups. That risk is always present, because our immense technological development has not been accompanied by a development in human responsibility, values and conscience.   We stand naked and exposed in the face of our ever-increasing power, lacking the wherewithal to control it.  LD24.   Reflect, share, and pray:  let us be good leaders and pray for a good leadership for our country in the future.