Carlo Maria Viganò, the former apostolic nuncio to the United States, published a letter addressed to Donald Trump on June 7, 2020. [1].
Even without reading it, one could reasonably ask what is the purpose of writing a letter to a US president who will eventually leave office at the end of his term which could be as early as January 20, 2021 or at latest on January 20, 2025?
Was Viganò bored out of his mind due to the pandemic lockdown, having nothing better to do but to keep up with American politics? What did his letter accomplish? Is it an exercise in holiness, a sincere and humble devotion to God so that the gates of Heaven will be open to welcome him when he dies?
It is sad to see a person who was so used to be in the limelight, first as a apostolic nuncio and later as an outspoken critic of clergy sex abuse, trying to grasp as straws to climb back into the world's spotlight when it has gone dark on him.
The brightest spots these days are centered on the pandemic, on how it is being handled and on racial tensions in the US leading to demonstrations in different parts of the world. The most prominent figure in all three of these categories seems to be the US president.
Ever so subtly, Viganò elevated himself to the same level as a powerful secular politician of a country that is superior to all others economically, politically and militarily with two separate sentences, each one written to end two of his paragraphs in the letter to the current US president [2]:
1. "And I dare to believe that both of us are on the same side of this battle, albeit with different weapons." Carlo Maria Viganò, June 7, 2020.
2. "I trust that the American people are united with me and you in prayer to Almighty God." Carlo Maria Viganò, June 7, 2020.
One ought to wonder what Viganò meant by different weapons. At first glance the weapons of choice preferred by both men appear to be similar. One often uses Twitter, the other wrote a letter. They both rely on written words as weapons.
Moreover, it is seldom clear to oneself which side of the battle one is on because the Devil is so deceitful that one can be easily deceived by believing that one is on God's side when one is actually on the side of Satan.
Only God can say for certain whether a sinner is on His side or on Satan's side. Viganò seemed not to have any doubt that he is on God's side. He appeared to have taken over God's judgment which God has reserved for Himself alone. Not even Satan dare to render judgment that belongs solely to God. Satan will go only as far as to tempt, setting the trap for the unwary sinner to fall into, like Eve who wanted to be "'like God.'" [3]
One could only hope that Viganò with his "holy" sounding titles has not been overcome by his vanity, needing attention, and by his pride, overshadowing his humility, turning him from a child of light into a child of darkness, to want to be "'like God'" [4] and to judge as God judges.
[1] https://www.cnsnews.com/article/international/michael-w-chapman/arbp-vigano-trump-i-bless-you-biblical-battle-against-deep (scroll down for the entire letter).
[2] Ibid.
[3] https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+3%3A5&version=NIV
[4] Ibid.
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