"This morning.... We recognize in one another the spark of the Divine that gives all human beings their inherent dignity and worth, regardless of religion."
"Through fellowship and prayer, we acknowledge that all power is temporary, and must ultimately answer to His purposes. And we know that affirming this truth is particularly appropriate in the heart of a capital built upon the promise of self-government. No one understood this better than Abraham Lincoln. In November 1864, after being reelected to his second term, Lincoln declared he would be the most "shallow and self-conceited blockhead" on Earth if he ever thought he could do his job "without the wisdom which comes from God and not from men." Throughout a terrible Civil War, he issued many exhortations to prayer, calling upon the American people to humble themselves before their Maker and to serve all those in need." Bush continued.
"Our faith-based institutions display that same spirit of prayer and service in their work every day.. ... people of faith need compassion if they are to be true to their most cherished beliefs. For prayer means more than presenting God with our plans and desires; prayer also means opening ourselves to God's priorities, especially by hearing the cry of the poor and the less fortunate. When the tsunamis hit those on the far side of the world, the American government rightly responded. But the American response is so much more than what our government agencies did. Look at the list of organizations bringing relief to the people from Indonesia to Sri Lanka. They're full of religious names: Samaritan's Purse, American-Jewish World Service, Baptist World Aid, The Catholic Medical Mission Board. They do a superb job delivering relief across the borders and continents and cultures." the President remarked.
"Today, millions of people across this Earth get the help they need only because our faith-based institutions live the commandment to "love thy neighbor as thyself." Often, that means remembering the people forgotten or overlooked in a busy world: those in Africa suffering from HIV/AIDS, young girls caught up in the global sex trade, victims of religious persecution. In these great moral challenges of our times, our churches, synagogues, mosques, and temples are providing the vision that is changing lives. " Bush told the crowd of nearly 2000 people assembled at the Hilton in Washington, D.C.
No comments:
Post a Comment