Every once in a while you see a person or group put their faith directly into their work, regardless of the consequences.  Last week The Little Sisters of the Poor in Denver were such a group. Like other Catholic groups, the Sisters were confronted with the dilemma of the Affordable Care Act's requirement that employers provide coverage for contraceptive care (very broadly defined) that flies in the face of Catholic teaching.

If you've followed this story at all you know that Catholic churches themselves were excepted from this aspect of the ACA.  But-- and here is where the problem arises-- other Catholic organizations like hospitals, universities and the Sisters could avoid providing objectionable coverage only by signing a form that says they are religiously opposed to that kind of coverage.

Simple, you say-- just sign the form.  And that is what the government has been trying to get the Sisters to do.  Oh, and if you don't sign the form, you are assessed multi-million dollar fines that will quickly put the Sisters out of business.

So what's the problem?  In true government fashion, the problem is that by signing the form the Sisters make themselves subject to the regulations of the ACA.  While the form itself nowhere says this (go to the SCOTUS sitre and check if you'd like), the regulation say that if you sign the form you appoint the plan administrator to make coverage decisions.  The regulations also give the plan administrator substantial financial incentive to provide the objectionable coverage, and prevent the Sisters (or other employers) from telling the administrator what to do, or firing the administrator if it provides the objectionable coverage the authors of the regulations clearly want provided.

Last week this all came before the Supreme Court as the Sisters sought an order allowing them not to sign the form, without being subjected to massive fines, while this is all resolved.  That's where the image of Pilate comes to mind, because the government told the Court that, "with the stroke of a pen," the Sisters could solve all their problems-- not get fined and not have to provide objectionable coverage.  Like Pilate, they could just wash their hands of the whole business and leave it to someone else to do the dirty work.

To their credit the Sisters (and numerous other Catholic organizations) have stood up to the power of the government and refused to sign.  Not an easy position, and it will get much harder if the Court ultimately rejects their arguments and leaves them to the choice of signing of having all their assets seized.

But I bet they find genuine joy in their decision.  After all, when you draw on your faith and community in support of your work, you'll a lot of joy-- even if events are stacked against you.