Fr. Gary Regula, pastor of Saint Jerome Catholic Parish in Phoenix, recently reflected on the division of our country amid the election.

“Jesus was very clear when he was asked if he expelled demons by the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons,” Regula said in the parish’s Nov. 8 bulletin. “He simply responded that a house divided against itself cannot stand. Why do we seek to be in a house that is divided? Why do we not want to seek a place of common ground where not one person or one party gets all that they want, but that everyone is able to be given what they need? Why can we not realize that together we have a better possibility to find an answer?”

Regula expressed that the Beatles song “Let It Be” has given him hope for the days ahead.

“The song just describes to me the state of our nation at this time in that we are truly in ‘times of trouble,’” Regula said. “What if in any times of trouble, we just thought of Mother Mary (yes, Our Mother in heaven), then maybe we would not respond with such rancor or resentment? What if we just didn’t blurt out what was in our limited human mind, and instead waited for the words of wisdom that Mary can impart upon us for all humanity?”

Fr. Regula urged those who wish to protest the election results to do so in a non-violent matter.

“If we are upset with who won the election, then ... before acting or saying something let us ask for the wisdom of Mother Mary to guide our words and actions,” he said. “Most of all, let us all pray that after this dark stain in the history of our nation when we are fearful of an election day is over that we look to the light of Christ who was given to us by Mother Mary.”