In times like these, it’s easy to lose faith in more than just our neighbors, our politicians, our country. Humans are fallible, as evidenced by the crucifixion of Jesus. But change is never impossible.

February 15, 2026: Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Sirach 15:15–20
Psalm 119:1–2, 4–5, 17–18, 33–34
1 Corinthians 2:6–10
Matthew 5:17–37

Stepping Up

A reflection by Sam Barnes

It’s hard to read about God’s law relating to murder right now, with ICE (the U.S.’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement, for those that are unfamiliar) murdering civilians at an unprecedented rate. In 2025, there were 32 registered deaths at the hands of ICE, an authority meant to protect our country. In January 2026, this number went up by eight. If, as Jesus claims, “anyone who murders will be subject to judgment,” where is the judgement? Where is the accountability? Why are these murderers not being put on trial for their actions that are not only inhumane but illegal?

I surely cannot be the only one left with a sour taste in my mouth after reflecting upon the juxtaposition of God’s commandments and the enforcement of our country’s laws. For instance, in the gospel, we read, “Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:19). The amount of people that seem to have forgotten the core teaching of Jesus–radical love for God and our neighbors–in the face of their own insecurity no longer astounds me. With the amount of hate I hear in the news from people with a cross on their necklace, it’s no wonder there’s senseless slaughtering in the streets.

If making America great again means killing a father of two at his own home, then I’ll stick to mediocrity, thank you very much.

In times like these, it’s easy to lose faith in more than just our neighbors, our politicians, our country. When the necessary standards for law and order are not upheld, we can feel untethered, like a broken flag flapping in the winds of a hurricane. I find only a small sense of satisfaction in knowing that everyone will be judged before God at the end of days. (Matthew 5:20) That is too far from today to grant me comfort. Instead, I wonder what can we do in the meantime?

The first step I take is grounding myself. When I can’t look outside and see my morals reflected in society, I turn inside, to the Bible. What do I know for certain? Sirach 15:15-20 offers a helpful paradigm. “If you will, you can keep the commandments, and to act faithfully is a matter of your own choice” (Sirach 15:15). I cannot control the actions of others, but I can control myself. I can follow the principles laid out throughout the Bible for compassion and social justice. I can trust that God has good things in store for those that love Them. After all, if no eye can see and no ear can hear what God has planned for us (1 Corinthians 2:9), there’s no way I could find it manifested in the world outside anyways. I must instead search for God’s Spirit, which dwells holy and queer inside of me.

The second step is to educate myself. If some of what I am writing about is new information to you, I recommend you check out The Guardian’s article about the eight people that died at ICE’s hands in January 2026 to better understand the situation. If you are unsure which narrative to believe, I recommend using a bias-checking website such as Ground News that tells you how much of any article is biased towards conservatives and how much is biased towards democrats. And, when all else fails, get your news from known objective sources such as Reuters or the Associated Press.

The third step is action. Newly confident from research, I know what facts to put in an article about ICE’s abhorrent behavior. I know what information I can put onto a poster for a rally. And I know what topics to carefully address with people who have different viewpoints than me. It’s okay if it takes you some time to get to this stage. Not everyone makes their voice heard the same way. That is what’s beautiful about humanity! One person’s coat donation for protesters can have as much an impact as the person screaming in ICE’s face at a rally. Find your niche, and work it.

I’ll leave you today with a reflection on 1 Corinthians 2:7-8: “No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.” Humans are fallible, as evidenced by the crucifixion of Jesus. But change is never impossible.

Stay strong, and resist ICE. Amen.

Sam Barnes is a youth advocate for LGBTQ+ inclusion in Catholic and religious spaces. They have a master’s degree in policy and work in the international affairs space. They previously served as the Editor-in-Chief of the International Affairs Review published by The George Washington University. In their free time they enjoy rock climbing and reading, and volunteer with a local mentorship program for high schoolers.