The following comes from a November 3 Catholic News Agency article:

With recent polls showing an increasingly tight presidential race, it’s still unpredictable as to who will come out as the next president of the United States.

But for Archbishop Jose Gomez of Los Angeles, that’s okay. For him, knowing that “Jesus Christ is still King” is what really matters.

“Politicians come and go; nations rise and fall; empires fade away – what remains and what continues is the Church that Jesus established on the rock of St. Peter,” Archbishop Gomez stated during the Red Mass Dinner in Houston, TX on Nov. 2.

“No matter who wins next Tuesday and no matter who loses, we are called to follow Jesus Christ as children of God and missionary disciples. To be faithful to Christ and to build God’s Kingdom here on earth,” he continued.

Throughout his speech at the Red Mass Dinner, Archbishop Gomez outlined two “signs of the times,” which he believes are helpful in reflecting on the reality in the United States. He first pointed to the signs of a post-Christian America, noting the increasing secularism in American society and the resistance towards religious freedom.

Secondly, he underscored the “crisis of the human person,” saying that “society has lost the sense of the human person.” The California archbishop mentioned gender ideology and same-sex marriage as part of the false humanism promoted in American culture.

He also highlighted the poor treatment of the marginalized in society, including migrants, the homeless, and refugees, saying that society has become indifferent and unable to empathize with the people around them.

However, the next president isn’t going to change the way society treats religion or the human person, Archbishop Gomez stated. Instead, he believes that individuals will impact the future more than a political party.

“No matter who is President, no matter what party is in power – we are not going to restore religious values ‘from above,’” he said, noting that every person’s identity is founded in Christ – not their political affiliation.

“If we want America to be greater, then we need men and women like you and me who are committed to serving God and living their faith in every aspect of their lives,” also noting that “if we want to live in a society that promotes virtue and justice and human dignity – if we want leaders who reflect these values – then we need to become leaders and role models in our society.”

On this point, Archbishop Gomez said that only one thing can change the world: the call to be a saint.

“This the reason we are here – to follow Jesus Christ and to become more and more like him, through the grace of sacraments and through our desire for holiness. This is the beautiful truth about who we are as children of God,” he said, emphasizing the need for saints in every aspect of human life.