What was heard in your church today?

self | 9-16-2001 | self

[jays911]

what a great day in America. today at Mass, our associate priest made no plea for peace. instead, after asking for our prayers for the victims and their loved ones, he asked for prayers for our leaders and our armed forces, while they do their jobs, and do justice. he ended by asking us all to pray for God's blessings on America, and requesting the assistance of America's patron saint, Mary.

later, at a prayer serice for our 8th graders seeking confirmation, our head Priest told of how America has been turning away from God for the last 10 years, and how he thought this tragedy would yield good, as witnessed by the patriotic attitudes of our young people.

how refreshing.

what did you hear today?

[ConsistentLibertarian]

Who is Saint Mary?

[PresbyRev]

I preached at the three churches of the parish I serve along the trajectory of: 1. Personal and national confession of sin. 2. The worldview and motives of militant Islam. 3. The Christian conception of 'just war'. 4. The call to support our government executing justice per Romans 13:1-10. 'They have sown the wind, may the reap the whirlwind.' Sentiment among congregants seemed solidly pro-justice (ie: military action).

[ConsistentLibertarian]

"The Christian conception of 'just war'" Can you refresh my memory please? Aren't there very specific criteria?

[keyesguy]

It was different today. When was the last time your heard about evil in church? Our priest also refrained from kneejerk prayers for peace at all cost. The other thing I noticed is there were more people there.

[dep]

interestingly, tonight i attented a service here in our town of 20,000. the only announcement of it was a little box in our weekly paper. more than half the town's population showed up.

it began with the huge town flag -- we're talking 20x30 feet or so -- carried out by an honor guard as everyone stood in silence. then there was the parade of preachers. it was truly spectral. the local chriatian church (desciples of christ) preacher offered a prayer of blessing for george bush, dick cheney, and colin powell "that they be granted wisdom in the days ahead as they do what must be done." there is apparently a unity church coven or whatever they call it, because the clergycritter from it got up and went into some spiel about how we mustn't be angry at the terrorists for acting out their fears. many of us left at that point.

there was a muslim who said that no one who worships the god of islam could have done this. there was not a lot of bellicose language, nor was there much in opposition to it.

what was so interesting is that half the town turned out, and everyone was enthusiastic. flags were all over the place. and, oh yeah, it was held at the high school football stadium. we take a dim view around here of those who think such things in public facilities are improper.

dep

[Sans-Culotte]

A Mighty Fortress is our God, Onward Christian Soldiers, America the Beautiful, and after the benediction, God Bless America.

[eccentric]

Kent Crockett (author of 911 Handbook and Making Today Count For Eternity) was great! His readings included the first Chapter of Job. He reminded us how we don't know what is going on behind the scenes, how we should remember that Satan causes evil and suffering, not God....and ... and ...OH, if I wasn't so eccentric, I'd remember more. Check out www.CornerstoneChurchOnline.com

[Republican Wildcat]

The other thing I noticed is there were more people there

Indeed. As I walked in and the usher handed me a bulletin, he said "I'm running out of these!"

[Conservative_Rob]

Unfortunately I was greatly disappointed. I heard the obligatory calls for support for the victims and prayers for our governmental and military leaders - but I also heard, over and over again, that we must pray for patience and mercy for those targeted by our leaders. It made me physcially SICK! Not one prayer for those in our congregation who are in the military. Not one prayer for revival and repentence in our country. Not one prayer for strength and perserverance in the days to come when we begin to see the changes that waging war brings on. Not one prayer for victory! I guess I was spoiled by the sermon Rev. Billy Graham gave on Friday.

[jays911]

the Mother of God.

[Sursum Corda]

Here is a URL: http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/war/#2

Click on the entry "Just War Theory".

Sursum Corda

[jays911]

"A mighty fortress" still gives me goosebumps. i was raised Lutheran, and converted to Catholicism after my marriage. i really love that hymn when i hear it on a big pipe organ. maybe if we put that on huge loudspeakers over afghanistan, there'll be no need for cruise missiles. God bless.

[ConsistentLibertarian]

I didn't know she was a Saint. I thought she was put in a different category. But I really don't know much about it. Just asking: How did she become the patron saint of the US?

[quienyo]

Been to a true Southern Baptist Church lately? I don't mean one of those scared to offend Jimmy Carter types..a true, conservative, Southern Baptist Church? The evil of the world and the Redepmtion of Christ are staples of every sermon....

[PaulNYC]

First, to consistentlibertarian: it's not St. Mary, but Mary the Mother of Jesus.

Second: for the 2nd time this week, my church preached pacifism. On Thursday it was "turn the other cheek", today it was "you can't fight evil with more evil".

CRAP!

It disgusted me as a Catholic. War is not inherently evil, would this have been the same message in 1941? Thank God for Cardinal Egan and his to the point sermon at St. Patrick's.

[Conservative_Rob]

When I posted my first reply there hadn't been any other posts yet - now that I read a few, PLEASE, tell me where I can find a church that belives in G_D, America, and the divine inspiration that our founding fathers had. I felt like a sat through a polically correct, non-deonminational, non-confrontational, pep talk - not a call for G_D's people to drop to their knees and pray for a basic change in our thought processes so that we begin to focus on Him instead of our own selfish ambitions.

[Woodkirk]

Who made Mary America's patron saint?

[NeoCaveman]

Battle Hymn of the Republic, God Bless America

And a sermon that repeated what Bill Bennett said on tv "terrorists are made not born"
Almost but not as good as the homily that Fr. McAfee gave at Barbara Olson's funeral mass where evil was defined as the Work of Satan: Truly Refreshing.

[logos]

I just happen to have a copy of what was heard in my church today...

A Time to Grieve; A Time for Resolve