In his role as leader of the free world, Vlad Putin pulled the USA back from the brink of WWIII. That may sound an overstatement, but neither China nor Russia is going to allow USA to stay in the Middle East. Our two best friends in the Middle East treat Christians the worst, and only Russia and China are against terrorists becoming victors. Both Russia and China have serious internal terrorist problems, themselves, and have existential issues at play where USA merely desires to play.
So as the secular world argues over who is the most brilliant among the political players for the unexpected change of outcomes (at least for this week, no attack on Syria), we seem to have forgotten another player, at least here in USA.
Among the usual cast of characters whose ministrations result in yet another proxy war, came the Pope. And as opposed the standard stupid commissions and inquiries from the usual suspects, the Pope asked for fasting and prayer.
After the leaders of USA, Israel, the UK and France made a full court press for a unwarranted attack on Syria, here is what the
Pope called for on September 1:
To this end, brothers and sisters, I have decided to proclaim for the whole Church on 7 September next, the vigil of the birth of Mary, Queen of Peace, a day of fasting and prayer for peace in Syria, the Middle East, and throughout the world, and I also invite each person, including our fellow Christians, followers of other religions and all men of good will, to participate, in whatever way they can, in this initiative.
Here is what the
USA Bishops called for on September 3...
Take Action Now!Contact your two U.S. Senators and your Representative and urge them to vote against a resolution authorizing the use of military force in Syria. Instead, ask them to support U.S. leadership, in collaboration with the international community, for an immediate ceasefire in Syria, serious and inclusive negotiations for peace, and increased humanitarian assistance.
Wait, where is a call for fasting and prayer? And oddly, why call for USA leadership when USA's official position is to attack without warrant? Would it not be better to call for USA to stand aside and let the immediate parties sort it out, ala subsidiarity? On September 4 they Bishops sent Pres. Obama a letter, on the fifth a similar letter to Congress,
saying nothing about fasting. The point is, the USA bishops did not have much to do with the Church's effort to end the crisis in Syria. Let the Catholic in the pew assess how much emphasis it received.
Nonetheless, the rest of the Catholic world embraced the Pope's call, and September 7th, fasting and prayer was directed at the crisis in Syria.
September 9,
we read this:
Russia seized on a casual comment by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry to urge that Syriaturn over its arsenal of chemical weapons to international control to avert an American military strike.
And against all odds, in a most spectacularly unexpected manner, like a miracle, the immediate bombing effort is over. And now the powers that be scramble to take credit for crisis averted. Is it possible that the one element that was unique to this crisis had any effect? Fasting and prayer? Did this new Peace Pope have a leadership role in the world stage? Do we now have a Pope-Putin tag team, to keep the peace worldwide?
And if so, what role did the Catholic Church in USA play in averting the crisis? Does any American think writing Congress has any effect? Less so President Obama? There
is a passage in the Bible that comes to mind:
7 David said to Solomon: “My son, I had it in my heart to build a house for the Name of the Lord my God.8 But this word of the Lord came to me: ‘You have shed much blood and have fought many wars. You are not to build a house for my Name, because you have shed much blood on the earth in my sight.9
The USA Catholic Bishops depend on the State for much of their cash flow, and can be disrupted easily by IRS targeting. Perhaps it is a matter of "prudential judgment" but the facts bear out the USA is a bloody place, and the Bishops provide sky pilots, sacrilegious flags in the sanctuary, and relentless support of the American Regime. And when we borrow 55% of what we spend, we necessarily must make war to prove we can pay it back. Perhaps USA Catholic non-participation in the miracle of last week is a warning, that with so much blood shed, USA bishops will not be allowed to build a new peace.
Where are the Berrigans and Hunthausens of yesteryear? When will the Bishops teach on fasting and prayer, and embrace the poverty that will come if they repent of war?
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