As we approach the 4th anniversary of 9/11 we are treated to typical liberal pap from the National Council of Churches in their “Litany of Remembrance, Penitence, and Hope.” Read the statements and responses. Here’s the first one:
One: When we remember the stockbrokers, office workers, maintenance workers, bystanders, window-washers and all the others who worked together so valiantly to help each other, we can say together,
All: We remember great courage.
These are other responses without the leader’s statements:
We remember selfless service. ... We remember selfless sacrifice for the safety of others. ... We remember the loss of human life. ...
And so on. Notice what’s missing here? There is no mention of God. Oh, he shows up later in a reference to the “children of God,” and then he shows up again at the very end, like an afterthought.
Get this typical liberal “speak for yourself” prayer:
One: In our sadness, horror and shock we acknowledge that our own fears turned murderous and we have sought revenge, sometimes against even the innocent.
All: We confess and regret our own anger and recognize its dangers to our spirits, our health, our community, and others.
Um, my “fear” didn’t turn murderous and I certainly didn’t seek revenge, whether against the innocent or others. Of course, this is that style of statement where the speaker says “us” and “our” but what he really means is “you”, especially “you lower classes, not like us elites who are more evolved and civilized than you.”
Thanks, but I’ll keep my litanies that focus on God and His saints without the liberal politics.
The national council of churches, eh? And I care because…….?
Frankly, my cat has more meaningful things to say. I don’t have time for this crap.
I’m tired of responses like this. If you don’t want to read this blog, then don’t. But don’t post empty comments and don’t call what I’m doing crap. That’s just rude. I’m writing commentary on what interests me or grabs my attention. Frankly, I don’t care whether it interests other people, too. If I do, I’ll go to their blog and read what they have to say about it. You can rest assured I won’t be telling them in their comment boxes that it’s crap and I don’t have time for it.
Add to the conversation and elevate it.
Ok, sorry, Domenico. I just get tired of the constant airing of this sort of stuff. It numbs people to religious response because it “neuters” it, renders it meaningless. That was my point. I’ll just skip over it.
You know, this is the sort of “intercessory prayer” that fries my nose, with apologies to Mayor Menino for stealing his phrase.
Although the Roman Catholic Church isn’t represented in the National Council of Churches (thank you, God!), I’ve been to Masses at various churches where the “intercessions” are so obviously slanted toward a leftist view it’d be comical if it weren’t so terrible.
Kelly, my head snaps up when I hear a political agenda phrased as an intercession too! Too much of that has me changing parishes.
McC, this is one example of what I think you and I are talking about:
http://www.fcaministry.com/samplejun0505.html#Sample_
See, some parishes subscribe to intercessions. As you can see from the above example, they are often politically oriented.
I mean, if you read them, they seem to be harmless and nice and all that good stuff.
But where is anything about, say, the sanctity of the unborn? Sure, we pray:
That those who have died recently be welcomed to the heavenly banquet,
including ___________________,
and the victims of attacks in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Pakistan
and
That our table of Eucharist be a sign of our sharing in the merciful and inclusive love of Jesus
which all sounds well and good but there’s definitely something political going on here…do you know what I mean?
Of course the worst thing, in my opinion, is to “invite the faithful to add their own petititions.” Sheesh, I was at a Mass once where a fist fight almost broke out over ‘em.
Your post is funny, Kelly, because it’s so true. I have heard more of those “huh” intercessions than I dare to count. I’ve heard some I can’t pray for, even.
I have to add the first intercession at this morning’s mass left me with a huh. The prayer was that the Church would treat all employees fairly, pay them equitably, something like that.