We all live in the hustle and bustle of our work. And everybody in this room has weighty responsibilities, from leading churches and denominations, to helping to administer important government programs, to shaping our culture in various ways. And I admit that my plate has been full as well. (Laughter.) The inbox keeps on accumulating. (Laughter.)Read it all at The Baltimore Sun. I found this via GetReligion where they look at how differently the story was covered around the U.S.
"But then comes Holy Week. The triumph of Palm Sunday. The humility of Jesus washing the disciples’ feet. His slow march up that hill, and the pain and the scorn and the shame of the cross.
"And we’re reminded that in that moment, he took on the sins of the world -- past, present and future -- and he extended to us that unfathomable gift of grace and salvation through his death and resurrection.
"In the words of the book Isaiah: 'But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.'
"This magnificent grace, this expansive grace, this 'Amazing Grace' calls me to reflect. And it calls me to pray. It calls me to ask God for forgiveness for the times that I’ve not shown grace to others, those times that I’ve fallen short. It calls me to praise God for the gift of our son -- his Son and our Savior.
I'm not a fan of many of President Obama's policies. I know very little about the man himself. I pray for him as he leads our country. And I suppose a true cynic could say that these words are part of a political move somehow.
I prefer to take the man at his word. It comforts me that as odds as we would be in the same room discussing politics, we would be at one in our Holy Week reflections and self-examination.
Ever since that poll that said a ton of people thought he was a muslim, I bet he's been studying Christianity. Those quotes are extremely specific and detailed. Before this he never uttered a word that suggested he even understood Christianity. It sounds to me he was coached to say them.
ReplyDeleteHe being the most pro-abortion president, the president that insisted the crucifix be taken down when he spoke at Notre Dame University, I put no stock in his sudden turn to Christianity. I do not believe he is a muslim, but given he is an Ivy League Liberal, there is no doubt in my mind he is an atheist.
I know all sorts of people personally who apply Christianity to their lives in ways I would not, including being pro-abortion. I cannot presume to judge the president's soul and will leave that to God.
ReplyDeleteHowever, let's look at it like this. If he is an atheist, he is giving the most sincere lip service to Jesus' salvation and the cross that one could give. What would atheists think of this? Not that he is one of them. To me, who is going to stand by my decision to take his words at face value, this says a lot. I would want to be taken at face value. I am going to do him the same courtesy. I choose not to be cynical.
Julie, I'm not judging him as a person. Whatever his faith, that's for him to come to grips with. I'm assessing him as a politician. He plays a good game. Not placing his hand over his heart for the pledge of allegience when it suits him, and then placing it when suits him. He's a phony. He's got the atheist vote now in his back pocket. There's no need to appeal to them. In order for him to get re-elcted he has to get better numbers with those that believe in Christianity. Those are great words, but they in no way sound like Barrak Obama. And isn't it amazing that they found their way into the catholic blogosphere. Not a coincidence at all.
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