Five months ago I wrote an essay titled, Nothing New Under the Sun, about a shooting in a Catholic Church in Minneapolis. Two children, students, were killed. Others were wounded, some shielding other children. Most people would consider shooting anyone a terrible crime whether in a church or anywhere. What about disrupting a church service without shooting? For some people that appears to be OK.
On January 18, 2026, a Baptist Church, Cities Church, in St. Paul Minnesota, had services disrupted by a mob protesting ICE agents actions in the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Videos taken by those inside the church, some being streamed by the mob (protestors is too soft a word to call them) documented the horrible things being said.
Those defending the mob cited Fist Amendment rights to free speech. They ignored the rights of those in the church to freely practice their faith.
This is just the latest example of how our society has turned its back on Truth.
In my essay, Murió la Verdad (Truth Has Died), I wrote about how modern times have thrown out the idea of objective truths. Truth is whatever I claim it to be. This leads to refusing to recognize the rights of anyone but myself. I have the right to do whatever I want, such as disrupt your right to worship in your own way.
The FACE Act (Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act) of 1994 was passed primarily to protect those who wanted to procure an abortion. Language was added to protect the right to practice one’s religion freely. Among other protections, the Act provides federal criminal and civil penalties for those who use force, threats, or obstruction to intimidate or interfere with people attending places of worship. The mob apparently did not care that what they were doing was a violation of the law.
Isaiah prophesied in 8th century BC:
Woe to those who call evil good and good evil [Isaiah 5:20]
According to a footnote in the
The moral disorientation that follows habitual immersion in sin. The more a society descends into godlessness, the more its ability to distinguish right from wrong is diminished. Over time, wanton iniquity causes the mind to become “darkened” to the truth of God’s moral order.
I worry about the young people of our country. I include in that my three granddaughters, aged nineteen to twenty-three. When I was their age the world had not seemed to have gone so far off the rails. However, I can look back and see how the seeds were planted long before they were born to bring us to where we are today; where religious freedom and rights are so easily trampled and dismissed by others claiming their right to free speech takes priority.
What is one to do?
Do what we always do, Pray. Pray for those whose rights are being violated. Pray for those violating their rights. Pray for God to pour out His grace for all of us.
Pray for God to strengthen your hope. Provide support for those whose hope may be showing signs of fatigue. Strengthen them.
Try to be a source of joy for others.
Greg Gillen
January 20, 2026
© 2026 Greg Gillen
Scripture/Revised Standard Version Second Catholic Edition/Ignatius Press
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