Bishop has no cause to apologize over call for mercy and compassion

President Donald Trump, left, watches as Rev. Mariann Budde, second right, arrives at the national prayer service at the Washington National Cathedral, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025, in Washington. Photo by Evan Vucci / AP

Bishop Mariann Budde’s courageous appeal to President Donald Trump at the Washington National Cathedral is an act worthy of our highest praise and deepest reflection. At a time when compassion and dignity feel like increasingly scarce commodities in public life, Budde reminds us what moral leadership looks like.

This was no easy moment. Just days after Trump was sworn in as the 47th president, Budde stood before him and delivered a sermon that was as much a prayer for unity as it was a plea for decency.

“In the name of our God, I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now,” she said. Her words echoed in the presence of a president whose rhetoric and policies have consistently sown division and fear among the nation’s most vulnerable.

She called out the terror felt by immigrant families, particularly children who live in constant fear that their parents might be deported. She named the plight of LGBTQ+ youth, marginalized and vilified by policy and rhetoric alike. She reminded the president — and all of us — of the dignity inherent in every human being, including undocumented workers who contribute to society in quiet but indispensable ways.

Take care to recognize that Budde did not call for Trump to resign or say that he is a bad person or president. Contrary to what far-right extremists might claim, she didn’t call for an open border or government-funded gender-reassignment surgery for all.

Her call was simply for the leader of the most powerful nation on earth to exercise that power with mercy and grace, showing empathy for the fears of children and families facing the prospect of an uncertain future.

Trump’s response was predictably dismissive. On his social media platform, he disparaged Budde as a “Radical Left hard-line Trump hater” and demanded an apology. But what, exactly, should she apologize for? For calling for mercy? For asking the leader of the free world to consider the humanity of those he so often dehumanizes? For reminding us all that Christian faith calls for kindness, humility and a commitment to the marginalized?

Budde’s sermon was especially timely given Trump’s recent decision to repeal the “sensitive areas” rule, a humane policy that prohibited immigration enforcement actions in places like schools, hospitals, daycare centers, assisted-living facilities and cemeteries. This reversal sends an unmistakable message: No place is safe, not even for the sick, the grieving or children. It is a policy that has little to do with the security of our borders and more to do with striking terror in the hearts of schoolchildren. It is a policy devoid of humanity, and Budde was right to call it out.

Her courage stands in stark contrast to the moral abdication of so many others, particularly those who claim to follow the life and teachings of Jesus — a man whose ministry was marked by a radical inclusivity that welcomed Samaritans, lepers and tax collectors — and who would surely be appalled by the cruelty now carried out in his name.

If there was ever a time to ask, “What would Jesus do?” — it is now. Would he stand idly by as children are separated from their parents, as the sick are turned away, as the most vulnerable among us are cast aside?

Budde has shown us what it looks like to answer those questions with courage and conviction. Her actions are a call to all Americans to live out the values they profess to hold dear.

The question, then, is not whether Budde will continue to speak truth to power. She has shown us she will. The question is whether we will join her in the work of building a nation that reflects our highest ideals — a nation where even the most vulnerable among us are treated with the dignity and respect they deserve.

Congress has the power to rein in many of Trump’s most revolting and dangerous impulses. And with razor-thin GOP majorities in both the House and the Senate, the power of principled individual lawmakers to stand their ground and make meaningful change has never been greater.

Similarly, the power of the American people and our ability to influence our individual local lawmakers has never been more important. Even if you generally agree with most of Trump’s policy proposals, you can still take a stand against his most cruel and aggressive actions, such as carrying out immigration enforcements in schools and nursing homes. Convincing even a small number of congressional representatives to oppose these morally bankrupt policy changes could make all the difference in the world to our neighbors living in fear and uncertainty.

We can and must hold our elected officials accountable. We can and must support organizations and movements that fight for the dignity of all people.

The work ahead will not be easy. Resistance to cruelty and injustice requires vigilance and a willingness to endure discomfort. But as Budde reminded us, mercy, compassion and dignity are not optional in a just society. They are required.