Months, weeks, and days go by during which we pray for our government, and we
don't think that any of our prayers are working! Why is it we are always looking
for big things to happen - something that hits us between the eyes?
If that did happen, we wouldn't be able to see it, because our eyes would be
closed from the pain! Yet, things are happening all around us of which we are
not even aware.
We have blinders on that only let us see our little world. We are only
concerned with our own back yard, and sometimes only as far as our back porch or
patio. We are afraid to venture out any further because of what we might find or
what might find us.
Our living room is where the world passes by in the form of newspapers, radio
and television news. All we hear, however, are negative stories or news that is
too hard to comprehend. So we say, "Oh," and just put a check in the
mail toward a worthy cause. Then our prayer sort of peters out.
There are many wonderful things happening in our country today that we don't
read or hear about, because good things don't make good news!
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A movie in 2004, realistically portraying the Passion of Christ, broke
box-office records!*
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There is a significant movement among many high school students who
commit themselves to practice abstinence, chastity, and make pledges of
premarital virginity.*
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Whoever thought that morality would be such a major issue in the 2004
election?*
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During this time of secular culture, American Catholics have set up
7444 adoration chapels, 715 of them perpetual, to adore Our Lord in the
Blessed Sacrament.*
* Source: Crusade Magazine
In October of 2004, when this committee was formed to intercede for
government, our first prayers were for the government of the United States. An
election was coming up to choose a president. We asked God to send us a
president that could lead us in hard and difficult times. All signs indicated
that Senator John Kerry would be our next president. The polls were in slight
favor of Mr. Kerry. MTV (Music Television) had a mock election, using children.
For the past ten presidential elections, the children have chosen the correct
candidate. This time, the majority of these children selected John Kerry for
president. Another tradition is that if the Washington Redskins, (a National
Football Team) win their last home game before election day, the president in
office is reelected. If they lose, a new president is elected. The Redskins lost
to the Green Bay Packers, 28 - 14, on October 31, 2004. All signs were pointing
one way, against George W. Bush being reelected to the presidency. But who knows
the ways of the Lord? On November 2, 2004, George W. Bush was reelected to the
office of the President of the United States.
On November 13, 2004, I asked this committee to pray for a new leader of
Palestine, not someone like Yasir Arafat, but someone kinder and more
understanding of other nations, who would listen to others. New elections are
being held in Palestine as this article is being written. We know and trust that
God will take care of the situation in the Middle East.
As of January 9, 2005, we are asking prayer for the election in Iraq on
January 30th. The situation there does not look good. One group is fighting
another group; others are saying this election is all wrong. Many just don't
know which way to turn. All this makes for a wonderful boiling pot. Yet, all
this pot needs is a little prayer. We believe our God can soften hearts and take
hands and have people work together.
And so, I am asking until we meet again, to please pray for united countries
both home and abroad. Ask God to bring all people together in unity. May we be a
model of this unity as we gather at our next Communal Celebration on April 3,
2005 - God's people sharing HIS meal at HIS table.
(This is the third in a series of Bulletin articles that will address the
twelve areas of prayer for which the Lord has requested that all in the Catholic
Charismatic Renewal in the Archdiocese of Detroit intercede. Those who are led
to pray for this particular intention of government, please contact
Stephen Cooper, the writer of this article, at #586-731-0579, to let him know
that you will join with him and others in praying for this topic.)
Stephen Cooper
is a member of the Community of
God's Love Prayer Group at St. Kieran Church in Shelby Twp., Michigan, and
serves on the DCCR Assembly.
