A tale of two elections: Missionaries of hope in a divided world
Opinion
Two elections. One secular, one sacred. On May 3, Australia witnessed a Federal election that brought sweeping political change and fresh debates about leadership, values, and national direction. Just a few days after, in Rome, we welcomed a new Pope Leo XIV – elected through the ancient and prayerful ritual of the conclave.
At first glance, these events may seem worlds apart, but their deeper resonance reveals something essential about human communities: the longing for guidance, the responsibility of leadership, and the challenge of unity in diversity.
The Federal election was an exercise in democracy. Polling booths, campaign trails, debates, and party platforms dominated the public sphere. It was, in many ways, noisy and passionate – reflecting the pluralistic, and sometimes polarised, nature of modern politics. Voters made choices that will shape policies on climate, housing, healthcare, education, immigration and the economy. Yet for many, the process felt divisive, even for some, disheartening. The language of politics often descends into blame and fear, highlighting fractures rather than common purpose.
By contrast, the conclave that elected Pope Leo XIV was marked by prayerful silence, spiritual discernment, and centuries-old tradition. One hundred and thirty three cardinals from across the world gathered behind the closed doors of the Sistine Chapel, seeking not just a leader, but a shepherd. Theirs was not a contest of manifestos but a deep communal listening to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, whom Pope Francis called the great protagonist of the life of the Church.
In choosing Pope Leo XIV, the cardinals did not merely choose a head of state – they affirmed a mission: to guide the People of God in hope and faith and love amid a rapidly changing world.
What lessons might we draw from these two elections, so different in form yet united in purpose?
Leadership as service, not power
In politics, leadership is often framed in terms of control – securing votes, passing legislation, asserting agendas. However, Pope Leo enters his ministry with the model of Christ the Servant. His election reminds us that leadership, at its most authentic, is service. It is listening, accompanying, and lifting up the lowly; having a care for the stranger. Political leaders could draw from this: to lead not as rulers above the people but as stewards among them, seeking the common good, and including those on the margins.
The importance and limits of process
Democracy is rightly prized for its inclusivity and accountability. Yet it is a system vulnerable to partisanship and superficial promises. The conclave, while exclusive in its participation, strives for unity through prayer and shared discernment. All of us did ‘partici-pate’ in one way by our fervent prayer and in Masses for the election of a pope.
A synthesis might be considered: a political system enriched by spiritual values such as humility, truth, and compassion.
Likewise, the Church could learn from the transparency and accountability demanded by civil society. Nonetheless, both systems always need grace and refinement to better serve the people they represent.
Community, not just organisation
A country is more than its parliament, just as the Church is more than its hierarchy. Both are communities – of neighbours, families, cultures, and faiths. In Australia, voter disillusionment reflects a sense of disconnection. People feel unheard, unseen. The Church, too, faces this challenge, especially in regions where institutional failures have damaged trust.
The way forward lies in becoming truly communal: listening deeply; walking together and making room for every voice; being whom we are called to be, namely, the Body of Christ. This is synodality in action and also civic renewal.
Challenges and grace in a fractured world
Both elections occurred in a global context marked by uncertainty: climate crisis, economic disparity, war, and a deep spiritual hunger. These are not problems for politicians or popes alone to solve. They are calls to every person of goodwill to participate in healing the world.
The Australian election reminded us of the need for courageous policy and grassroots action. The papal conclave reminded us that without grace, the gift of the Holy Spirit, without hearts transformed by love and mercy, policies and programs are empty and fall short.
Being ‘missionaries of hope’
In his first homily, Pope Leo called for the Church to be “called to bear witness to our joyful faith in Jesus the Saviour, and an ark of salvation sailing through the waters of history and a beacon that illumines the dark nights of this world”.
That mission is not his alone. Every Christian, every person of conscience, is called to be a missionary of hope because of their baptism. In the political arena, that may look like advocating for justice and integrity. In the Church, it means building bridges, not walls; serving with joy; and always pointing beyond ourselves to Christ.
Ultimately, these two elections – one by ballot, the other by discernment – invite us to reflect on the kind of world we are building. Do our choices reflect self-interest or solidarity? Are we motivated by fear or by hope? Are we content to be critics from the sidelines, or will we be co-creators of the future and the common good?
As we reflect on the lessons from May 3 and the white smoke that rose over Rome a few days later, we are challenged to rise beyond cynicism and complacency. In our workplaces, parishes, schools, communities, and families, we must choose the path of grace; working patiently for justice, nurturing compassion, and walking humbly with one another.
The late Pope Francis in his last encyclical, Dilixit Nos, (He loved us) reminded us of this when he wrote, “Everything finds its unity in the heart, which can be the dwelling place of love in all its spiritual, psychic and even physical dimensions. In a word, if love reigns in our heart, we become, in a complete and luminous way, the persons we are meant to be, for every human being is created above all else for love. In the deepest fibre of our being, we were made to love and to be loved.” (#21)
May we, in our time, be people of heart; be missionaries of hope; citizens of nations and citizens of the Kingdom of God; servants of the common good and bearers of the light that no darkness can overcome; while always remembering that God is good, good indeed.
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