Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker recently criticized the Democratic National Convention after a Chicago Cardinal who led the invocation of the event while hiding his cross under his jacket and not mentioning the name of Jesus Christ.
As a result, Butker took to social media, calling out Roman Catholic Cardinal Blase Cupich for not outwardly exposing his pectoral cross. “America needs more Jesus not less,” Butker’s wrote. “We need our shepherds to fearlessly lead and not be afraid to proclaim that Christ is King. It starts with bishops boldly wearing their pectoral cross outside their jackets.”
The incident generated further controversy. “Hiding his pectoral cross, and never once [m]entioning the name of Jesus, Cdl. Blase Cupich gave the invocation at an event providing free abortions and vasectomies,” The Lepanto Institute, a conservative Catholic organization, wrote on X. Catholic Vote said, “The DNC is demonic.”
One journalist, Stephen Kokx, wrote, “McCarrick disciple Cardinal Cupich gives invocation at DNC in Chicago as abortions and vasectomies take place just feet away. No sign of the cross. No mention of the Holy Name of Jesus. Pectoral cross conveniently hidden.”
The Christian Tribune also reported on Butker’s response to the apparent mockery of Christianity at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. The kicker quoted Galatians 6:7-8 where he wrote in his caption, “Be not deceived, God is not mocked. For what things a man shall sow, those also shall he reap. For he that soweth in his flesh, of the flesh also shall reap corruption. But he that soweth in the spirit, of the spirit shall reap life everlasting.”
Butker said in part of his speech, “For the ladies present today, congratulations on an amazing accomplishment. You should be proud of all that you have achieved to this point in your young lives,” he said. “I want to speak directly to you briefly, because I think it is you, the women, who have had the most diabolical lies told to you. How many of you are sitting here now, about to cross this stage, and are thinking about all the promotions and titles you are going to get in your career? Some of you may go on to lead successful careers in the world, but I would venture to guess that the majority of you are most excited about your marriage and the children you will bring into this world.”
In other comments Butker stood behind the comments he made at the Christian Colleges. “Our love for Jesus, and thus, our desire to speak out, should never be outweighed by the longing of our fallen nature to be loved by the world. Glorifying God and not ourselves should always remain our motivation despite any pushback, or even support. I lean on those closest to me for guidance, but I can never forget that it is not people, but Jesus Christ who I’m trying to please,” he said.
He added that as Christians we should stand firm in our faith. “If I constantly remind myself of the hardships the saints went through, especially the martyrs in their persecution, it makes it all seem not so bad. For if Heaven is our goal, we should embrace our cross, however large or small it may be, and live our life with joy to be a bold witness to Christ.”
Featured image credit: By Airman 1st Class William Lunn – https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7984088/chiefs-military-appreciation, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=136494880