Praying Together

Today we heard the striking news that Pope Benedict will be resigning at the end of February, citing health issues.  I know that we are not Catholic, but I think that we need to be praying.  The Pope is a man and people need prayer.  We also need to pray about what happens next.  What the Catholic Church chooses in the next month will have an effect on every Christian since about half the people in the world that claim Christianity are Roman Catholic.

This is striking news because a Pope has not resigned for well over 500 years.  This is striking news because he is resigning for health reasons and that may be a new and different reason for resignation.  Although it has become culturally reasonable for leaders to step down for physical incapacity, it is not (to my knowledge) a strong tradition in the Roman church.  If all that is being reported is the full story, I commend him for his honesty and willingness.  Like Tolkien’s Frodo Baggins, giving up the ring of power is not easy once it has been touched.

So, let’s pray for the Catholic Christians.  Pray that they will have a leader who will keep them theologically and culturally conservative.  Though they hold to many extra non-Biblical doctrines and superfluous exercises, I know many born again Catholics who love Jesus and put him first.  For their sakes, for the sake of Christian unity, and for the influence of the Church universal, we need to pray together.  Because we take some moral and ethical stances with the Roman Catholics, we should pray together.  And, I think it would make Jesus happy if we all prayed together in his name, to our Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit.