United States, U S

 

Each morning at 6AM I pray what is called “The Patriotic Rosary”.  It is a prayerful meditation for blessings on our country’s leaders.  For each of the five decades of the rosary, I pray for The Presidency, The Supreme Court, Congress, Governors, and lastly for local government leaders.  On the last one I also include local service providers: the garbage men, police and fire, doctors and nurses, librarians, and especially for the teachers of our children, including their mothers and fathers.  On each of the fifty rosary beads I pray for one of our fifty states --- in alphabetical order, so it is easy to remember them now, having done this for over 7 years.  And I end by softly singing:  God Bless America

This morning I happened to be in church at 6AM, at adoration of our Lord.  I prayed the Patriotic Rosary there at my usual time, and a thought struck me:  I was praying for the United States, U.S., or looked at another way:  I was praying for us.  And, I suddenly realized that was true.  In praying for God’s blessings on our leaders, I was also praying for His blessings on us, that those leaders would act in morally responsible ways to care for the people of this country.  Deep in my heart, I prayed for us.

I guess that somewhat explains my heart regarding this country:  we need prayers now like that.  We have children who are no longer taught the Pledge of Allegiance to our country, or if there are a few places where it is said, teachers must allow some children to decide that they don’t want to say those words, and we must bend over to accommodate those whims of children --- as if they were all-wise adults.  And we have a political party that DOES recite the Pledge of Allegiance, but not as it was originally written, nor with its original intent, being careful to not say “one nation under God.”   (I wonder if the Democratic Party is made up of secret Jews, since they also were afraid to say the name of God.)

I think that not saying we are one nation under God is the same as saying we are not “us”; we are not as a family; we are not united, but rather we are a large group of individuals, every one an “I”, with no “us.”  How long will there continue to be individuals willing to defend with their lives an “us” that does not exist?

I had never thought of us as not being an “us” any longer.  Everything in my common sense, and in my faith, says I cannot accomplish anything alone, yet that seems to be our culture’s “right,” to have any thought or wish I have to be “okay,” because there is no truth, there is no morality, there is no God.  I know I’m not perfectly wise nor holy, yet I sadly perceive much of the world today to be stupid and evil.  And I pray each morning to the God I know exists, for His mercy, on us.  On us.

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After those thoughts, I read the Office of Readings this morning, and it gave me hope.

                Ant.        Surrender to God, and He will do everything for you.

Psalm 37
The lot of the wicked and the good

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth (Mt 5:5)

                Do not fret because of the wicked;
                do not envy those who do evil:
                for they wither quickly like grass
                and fade like the green of the fields.

                If you trust in the Lord and do good,
                then you will live in the land and be secure.
                If you find your delight in the Lord,
                He will grant your heart’s desire.

                Commit your life to the Lord,
                trust in Him and He will act,
                so that your justice breaks forth like the light,
                your cause like the noon-day sun.

                Be still before the Lord and wait in patience,
                do not fret at the man who prospers;
                a man who makes evil plots
                to bring down the needy and the poor.

                Calm your anger and forget your rage;
                do not fret, it only leads to evil.
                For those who do evil shall perish;
                the patient shall inherit the land.

    A little longer – and the wicked shall have gone.
    Look at his place, he is not there.
     But the humble shall own the land
    and enjoy the fullness of peace.

Ant.        Surrender to God and He will do everything for you.