In this Sunday’s gospel we hear how Jesus overturned tables and drove the money-changers out of the temple area. On Tuesday voters overturned the Senate’s political makeup and drove many an incumbent out of office. But will the election results lead to bipartisan cooperation or merely deepen the political gridlock of recent years?

After sweeping results that gave control of the Senate to Republicans and increased their majority in the House, President Barack Obama and Mitch McConnell, the presumptive majority leader of the next Senate, spoke of working together, even as Congressional Republicans vowed to push a vigorous agenda.

Given their contentious relationship for the past six years, are there any legislative deals that the president and the new Congress can make? Obama said on Wednesday that he was eager to work with Republicans to find common ground during the final two years of his presidency, even as he promised to go through with unilateral action on immigration over strong Republican objections.

“The American people overwhelmingly believe that this town doesn’t work well,” Obama said in a news conference in the ornate East Room of the White House, in which he declined to “read the tea leaves” of the election or say whether he deserved blame for its outcome. “As president, they rightly hold me accountable to make it work better.”

“It doesn’t make me mopey, it energizes me,” the president said. As if to underline his forward-looking approach, he called for immediate action by Congress on a request for emergency funding to combat Ebola and a measure to authorize military action against the terrorist group calling itself the Islamic State.

Fresh from his own re-election victory and his party’s powerful showing nationwide, Senator Mitch McConnell on Wednesday pledged to break the stalemate in Washington as newly empowered Congressional Republicans moved quickly to demonstrate that they can get things done. “We’re going to pass legislation,” McConnell said. “This gridlock and dysfunction can be ended.”

Despite their new majority in the Senate and an expanded one in the House, Republicans face multiple difficulties, not the least of which are internal divisions. But they say they know they have to deliver or face a backlash in 2016.

“I think it really becomes important to appear to want to be a governing party rather than a complaining party,” said Senator Roy Blunt of Missouri, a member of the party leadership. “My belief is we have about six months before the American people check that box one way or the other.”

Homily hint: At the end of the day, politicians will have to decide whether elections are about winning or about governing. The country faces serious problems and wonderful opportunities. Those entrusted to steer the ship of state have the choice to work together or run aground. Pray for good stewardship and hold those at the helm accountable.

Source: Articles by Carl Hulse, Julie Hirschfeld Davis, and Michael D. Shear for The New York Times