In the Spring of 2019, I took my oldest daughter to see the stage production of Hamilton. Huge fans of the music since the time the cast album dropped, we couldn’t wait to finally see it performed in person. As the theatre darkened and the first notes of the show played, we squeezed hands and practically squealed with delight while whispering the lyrics under our breath. And even though we knew the songs backwards and forwards, seeing the performance was something new and awe-inspiring.

One of the standout moments of the show, for me, is when Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr step onto the stage with nothing but a chair in front of each of them. Together, in “Dear Theodosia,” they sing to their young children: “You will come of age with our young nation. We’ll bleed and fight for you, we’ll make it right for you. / If we lay a strong enough foundation, we’ll pass it on to you, we’ll give the world to you, and you’ll blow us all away.”

As my daughter sat next to me, riveted by this retelling of American history, I couldn’t help but wonder: “What will I do to make the world a better place for her? What will I pass on to her?”

Fast forward to a weekend in late July 2020. We were watching Guardian Angels’ live-streaming Mass, and Father Sunberg was giving the homily on Solomon. He said:

“Solomon could have asked for anything… He could have asked for wealth or power or prestige, but he asked for wisdom… so he could be able to discern what is good and right and valuable throughout his reign as king. And he’s showing a deeper level of his sense of his own integrity, of who he is as a person, to go to that deeper level that he has in his relationship with God, so that he could be able to take care of God’s people in a good, right manner.”

As the election season approaches, these two ideas weigh on my mind. What can I do to build a better future, a strong enough foundation, for my children? And how do I proceed with wisdom? As with all good decisions in our lives, the answer is to turn to God in discernment and prayer – as well as use the teachings of our faith to guide us.

In preparation for the coming months, the archdiocese has assembled an initiative called iVoteCatholic. The program doesn’t tell you who to vote for, but instead equips you with the tools and information necessary to learn more about where Catholic teaching stands on important social and political issues. It’s a tool, when used alongside prayer and discernment, that can help inform your mind, your conscience and, ultimately, guide you to wisdom. For more on iVoteCatholic, click here.

My hope is that as we move forward and prepare the way not only for ourselves, but for the next generation, that we do so guided by our faith, instilling those values into those trusting little faces who are constantly turning their eyes to us.

This editorial appeared in the September 2020 edition of The Catholic Telegraph Magazine. For your complimentary subscription, click here.

[email protected]