It has never been about keeping Trump in office for me.  Well let me explain.  Do I want Donald Trump to remain in office and pray that somehow the election steal is stopped?  OF COURSE!  It's like asking someone if he would rather eat an oreo cookie or rat poison.  But the long shot nature of the "stop the steal" initiative has never affected me one way or the other in my decision to take my wife and kids every Saturday and Sunday to march around the capitol with my larger Catholic family over the last several weeks.  Because I don't see the Jericho March as just a protest of the election and a "Hail Mary" prayer that the bad guys are stopped dead in their tracks right now the way I want it to happen.  Instead, I have viewed these marches as spiritual exercises to grow in strength together with the Catholic troops.

     The number of participants in the Jericho marches has fluctuated significantly from day to day.  November 8th drew in somewhere between 150 and 200 by my estimation, while I also enjoyed marching with just a few regulars two Saturdays ago.  The grace from our prayers is quite real, for sure!  Additionally, bonding with like minded, Patriotic, and charismatic Catholics has been a tremendous additional benefit that cannot be overlooked.  We all know things are going to get worse before they get better, so practicing the position of marching shoulder to shoulder with the troops is the exercise in communal muscle building that will be invaluable for the future.  If a governor or a "president" attempts to lockdown our churches, for example, it's good to know that we already have some practice and a growing network ready to boldly and loudly resist.

     One of the things that I have also appreciated about these marches is the witness we have shared to others at the capitol.  MANY Trump supporters have been continually gathering at the capitol, and they have seen a persistant group of rosary praying freedom lovers march around that building.  And though many of them probably share the common misconceptions and prejudices about us Catholics and our rosaries (I have heard a couple people shout to us that Jesus alone should be worshipped), the respect for our march has been real.  The typical God-fearing MAGA crowd give us thumbs up, join in hymns and prayers that we share in common, honk, and give us an affirming nod all the time. 

Today was the day they joined in.  And the Catholics lead and did a darn good job of it. 

     When a Jericho march regular asked me if I wanted to help organize one super rally and march in cooperation the National group, I thought "yeah I'll throw out more invitations to all of my Catholic friends than usual.  Maybe we will get a turnout similar to November 8th".  After joining the first conference call with the national organizers, I was happy to take a back seat in organizing.  The event was getting bigger, and I'm just a guy who can lead the rosary with a lot of volume.  I was also unsure of how much people really wanted a rally and not just a march.  After what we did today, I'm really glad things turned out the way they did.

     As our big Catholic group came ready to march promptly at noon, many in our party were surprised to see that the rally my friend had organized was also "our group".  The big collection of MAGA regulars didn't include a ton of familiar faces, but... hey, they were there because a group of Catholics invited a band and speakers to the capitol building.  They came expecting a "Stop the Steal" rally and stayed for the praise music.  I was impressed by how many of them were singing the songs performed by our invited band.  So many people came to our rally that the "Stop the Steal" organizers, not wishing to compete, decided to just send all of their attendees over to us.  And that was all well and good, but would they actually march with us?  And would all of my Catholic companions with large families persist through the rally and then embrace the march once it was ready to go??

     At 12:45 we began to march.  There were about 200 of us as the rally was concluding.  We started our 20 decade rosary, per the norm, and made a lap.  And as we came around the corner... hundereds more joined us.  By the time we got to our third lap, the number of people who joined was so great, that I lie not when I say THE FRONT OF THE LINE ALMOST TOUCHED THE BACK.  Thousands of people marched around that capitol all united against the corruption and sickness that is currently plaguing our country (no not the Rona).  We all marched shoulder to shoulder united in a common purpose, but lead in the front by the hundreds of Catholics who started the march several weeks ago and have since then faithfully been putting it into our Lady's hands in witness to all weekend after weekend.

     Around the second sorrowful mystery, it hit me, "Isn't this the way it should be?!"  Why should I have been surprised?  Do we not have the fullness of the faith and all the heritage that comes with it?  Shouldn't we always be the ones leading in the public square in solidarity together inviting others to follow as we raise the mystical body of Christ to it's esscatological end, THE KINGDOM OF GOD?!

     I pray that this beautiful phenomenon I witnessed today continues.  If our governor or the guy who has been erroniously calling himself "president elect" tries to lock down our churches, it better be the Catholics who lead the charge, as we did today!!!  And not just by physically marching, but by re-entering the public square as leaders who are actually qualified to steer our brothers away from true tyranny.  It is our birthrite!  May we never forget that, and may we always maintain the courage, stamina, and charity necessary to embrace this mission as we march on forward.

Deus Vult and Viva Cristo Rey!

-Gadfly