I Got Called Out!

I've had several conversations in the past few weeks about people who don't believe in voting.  There are a couple of things that don't sit well with me:
1. Voting for someone I know isn't 100% pro-life (abortion, contraception, death penalty, unjust wars)
2. The fact that our country is really a Bi-partisan System
3. Is it really my MORAL OBLIGATION to vote?  And who said?  "Do I HAVE to?" (Yes, insert Manda-whiney-voice here)

I googled it.  That's right; I straight googled what I'm supposed to do.  That's the tricky thing with the internet; you never know what you're gonna get.

I came across this site:
http://www.ewtn.com/vote/voting_faq.htm
 Praise GOD for EWTN.  Grateful for good nuns in Alabama....

The part of this site that really stuck out to me is the use of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

2239 It is the duty of citizens to contribute along with the civil authorities to the good of society in a spirit of truth, justice, solidarity, and freedom. The love and service of one's country follow from the duty of gratitude and belong to the order of charity. Submission to legitimate authorities and service of the common good require citizens to fulfill their roles in the life of the political community.

"Service of the common good require citizens to fulfill their roles in the life of the political community."  Um, wow.  What is my role in this ambiguous idea of the political community?  I'm definitely not called to run for an office and be a politician myself - I kind of have a full-time job (youth ministers of the world - please laugh at the use of 'full-time' there.).  I'm definitely not called to give money to the political campaigns of others; insert bad joke about youth minister's salary here.  It logically follows that my duty now becomes voting.

It hurts my heart to think so many people don't think voting will do any good.  Many of these people are smart enough to know this - grace builds upon nature.  If you want to be a holy person, practice the virtues.  If you want to be a holy person, act like a holy person.  If you want to see a change in this world, live that change.  If you want to change the minds of politicians, voice your concerns!  How big is your God?  If your God is big enough to die and three days later rise from the grave for your sins, then your God is big enough to take your little vote somewhere.  This is the beauty of our God; He will never take our free will.  You have the choice to work with grace or against it.  It's the same here!  Let's work with grace and begin the process of changing our country.  It takes one person at a time.  One mind at a time.  One tiny little law at a time.

You want to see real change?  Be that real change.  Vote.