After the first news of the San Bernadino massacre this past
Thursday, I had a sudden fear that the day would come when I would feel nothing
at the next report of gun homicide in this country. And the Dali Lama (the
spiritual head of Tibetan Buddhism) has said, "Don't pray for Paris; do
something." And the front page of the New York Daily News read: God Isn't
Fixing This - the headline surrounded by the texts and tweets of presidential
wannabes all sending their "Thoughts and prayers to the families" of
those murdered. "Thoughts and prayers" - the new cliche.
Here, I want to do more than send soft prayers and good wishes, I want to do something powerful - I'm going to claim the Blood of the Lamb (Jesus Crucified) over all the earth where there is trouble or the potential for trouble. I don't tell God what to do, but I believe claiming the Blood of the Lamb matters. The angels in this painting seem to think so too. There's no politics in this claiming - just a sense of where things are or can go very wrong - dangerously wrong - murderously wrong - sinfully wrong.
There are books that have prayers to pray before offering Mass. They tend to be full of obsolete language and without a real-life connect. So I'm putting this claiming-prayer out there as an alternative. Most of the people who read this blog go to Mass at least once a week. We might pray it before we receive the Body and Blood of Christ.
all the presidents, prime ministers and premiers of the world,
all the congresses, parliaments and senates,
all the politicians of all the parties and for whatever office,
and for everyone who has a vote.
I claim the Blood of the Lamb for
the Vatican
and all the spiritual headquarters of
all the religions.
I claim the Blood of the Lamb for
the priests, ministers, rabbis and imams,
for left and right wing,
for the people who call themselves fundamentalists,
religious, consecrated,
or who think of themselves as the base.
I claim the Blood of the Lamb for
MSNBC, FOX News, Al Jazeera, CNBC,
RT, Free Speech TV, NPR, BBC, CBB
CSPAN and CNN.
I claim the Blood of the Lamb for
prisoners,
bullies and the bullied,
secret meetings,
locked files and courtrooms.
I claim the Blood of the Lamb for
those who make, buy and sell weapons and ammunition,
those who own and use guns for anything,
whether it's law enforcement,
target practice,
hunting or attacking innocent people.
I claim the Blood of the Lamb for
those who hate - the seeds of which are fear,
defensiveness, pride, ignorance,
power-seeking and prejudice.
I claim the Blood of the Lamb for
the Catholics, the Jews, the Protestants,
the Muslims, the Christian East, the Buddhists,
and the folks who don't believe in God.
I claim the Blood of the Lamb for
the people who plan and fund great evil,
who make and plant bombs,
who open fire on crowds.
I claim the Blood of the Lamb for
the people who neglect children,
harm children,
exploit children,
terrorize children,
enslave children,
under value children.
I claim the Blood the Lamb for
all the families of the world whatever their arrangement,
for the hospitals,
the nursing homes,
the hospices,
the rescuers and the healers.
I claim the Blood of the Lamb for
those who are hated or mocked because they are trying
to create peace,
to save the planet
to initiate reconciliation.
I claim the Blood of the Lamb for
all those who are trapped in addictions:
alcohol, drugs, pornography, anger, shopping,
entertainment, power or the money-quest.
I claim the Blood of the Lamb for
the United States of America and
the seventy four nations where we are either
fighting a war or supplying and supporting
the wars of other nations.
I claim the Blood of the Lamb for
every radicalized person,
every terrorist cell or army,
every flag waving hate group.
I claim the Blood of the Lamb for
myself, my family, my friends,
the people who cause me grief,
anxiety or sadness.
And I claim the Blood of the Lamb
as a blessing for every person
who does good,
who helps or
who makes security for me and my dear ones.
