Pray for Leaders Everywhere

One of the top officials of a European government has gotten into hot water because he is trying to prevent abuse of children. He is doing what we all wish the troops in Iraq had done to protect prisoners.

I am not allowed to mention the man's name or even the country but he did say I can tell a bit about his story and he asked for our prayers.

After a good bit of discussion, thought and prayers the guy decided that abortion, although legal, should not be promoted or encouraged by his government. That seems reasonable. It is a position that even the pro-abortion camp says they hold.

But when my friend began to discuss this approach and his resistance to using aborted babies as a source of stem cell research, a strange thing happened. Members of the opposing political party welcomed his ideas as fresh and insightful even if they did not agree. However, some other people were enraged and started a vicious series of attacks.

it seems that a newspaper or two thought these ideas proved that our man has no compassion or sympathy for people in trouble. It was, to them, a clear case of good versus evil; black versus white; Grinch versus Christmas.

The strength and personal nature of the attacks have taken their toll and our friend is stressed to the maximum.

He is amazed that the media would hate him for trying to protect the innocent. America is being attacked because our soldiers shame the guilty. It is a strange world.

Here is what we can do. Pray for him. Pray for protection for his family and for his mental health. Pray for peace.

Pray for Dan.

Although this is not his name God will know who you mean.

The Prayer of St. Francis

Lord, make me an instrument
of Thy peace.

Where there is hatred
Let me sow love.

Where there is injury, pardon;

Where there is doubt, faith;

Where there is despair, hope;

Where there is darkness, light;

Where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master,
Grant that I may seek

Not so much to be consoled,
As to console;

To be understood,
As to understand;

To be loved,
As to love:

For it is in giving that we receive;

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;

It is in dying that we are born to eternal life.