"Soldiers who fight for love of God and neighbor" ... "A failure to engage in a just war is a failure of virtue, a failure to act well."
http://www.firstthings.com/ftissues/ft0110/articles/cole.html#gotopThe author looks at Aquinas, Calvin, and others in Church history; as well as voices of today who take various stances concerning individuals and nations in wars vis-�-vis Christianity.
I’ve placed a permanent link to this on the Order’s Links page under "Articles"
ALMIGHTY God, our heavenly Father, in whose hands are the living and the dead; We give thee thanks for all those thy servants who have laid down their lives in the service of our country. Grant to them thy mercy and the light of thy presence, that the good work which thou hast begun in them may be perfected; through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord. Amen
O GOD, the strength of all those who put their trust in thee; Mercifully accept our prayers; and because, through the weakness of our mortal nature, we can do no good thing without thee, grant us the help of thy grace, that in keeping thy commandments we may please thee, both in will and deed; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
O Almighty God, by whose grace and power thy holy martyr Julius
and his companions triumphed over suffering and were faithful even
unto death: Grant us, who now remember them with thanksgiving,
to be so faithful in our witness to thee in this world, that we
may receive with them the crown of life; through Jesus Christ
our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy
Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Constantine's Army Prayer
We know Thou art God alone;
we recognize in Thee our king.
We call on Thee for aid.
From thee we receive victory,
through thee we are made greater than our enemies.
We recognize thy grace in present blessings
and hope on Thee for the future.
We all beseech Thee, we implore Thee
to preserve our king Constantine
and his pious sons safe and victorious to the end or our days.
Almighty God, who didst give thy servant Centurio Acacius boldness to
confess the Name of our Savior Jesus Christ before the rulers
of this world, and courage to die for this faith: Grant that we
may always be ready to give a reason for the hope that is in
us, and to suffer gladly for the sake of the same our Lord
Jesus Christ; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy
Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who hast given unto us thy servants grace, by the confession of a true faith, to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity, and in the power of the Divine Majesty to worship the Unity; We beseech thee that thou wouldest keep us stedfast in this faith, and evermore defend us from all adversities, who livest and reignest, one God, world without end. Amen.
Numbers xxi. 4., Psalm 29, Revelation iv. 1 & St. John iii. 1 & Homily
http://www.orderofcenturions.org/documents/trinity.html#readings
"This Armed Forces Day," declared President Truman, "marks the first combined demonstration by America's defense team of its progress, under the National Security Act, towards the goal of readiness for any eventuality." General Omar Bradley, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was more reflective. "Sacrifice, not selfishness," he said, "must be the eternal price of liberty. Vigilance, not appeasement, is the byword of living freedoms." Former Supreme Allied Commander Dwight Eisenhower noted, "It is fitting and proper that we devote one day each year to paying special tribute to those whose constancy and courage constitute one of the bulwarks guarding the freedom of this nation and the peace of the free world."
Armed Forces Day is thus reserved to honor American Patriots in uniform -- the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines standing in harm's way so that we might live free. This year, AFD is Saturday, 21 May. And on that day, we at The Federalist Patriot, on behalf of the vast majority of our fellow Americans, will proudly and enthusiastically reaffirm our support to the fighting forces of this great nation" Mark Alexander, 21 May 05
I bid your special prayers today for these servicmen. You may like to use these prayers from our website Soldiers & Airmen http://orderofcenturions.org/documents/army_prayer.html
Sailor & Marines http://orderofcenturions.org/documents/navy_prayer.html
ihsv,
Mark
O ALMIGHTY God, who hast committed to the hands of men the ministry of reconciliation; We humbly beseech thee, by the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit, to put it into the hearts of many to offer themselves for this ministry; that thereby mankind may be drawn to thy blessed kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Isaiah lxi. 1, Acts xiii. 44 & St. Luke iv. 16 and Homily and Prayers for Clergy and Candidates
http://www.orderofcenturions.org/documents/ember.html
The Ember days are four groups of three days, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday set aside for fasting. They occur after the First Sunday in Lent, Pentecost, Holy Cross Day (September 14), and St. Lucy's Day (December 13). that correspond to the natural seasons of the year. The word Ember is English and is realted to the Latin for the four seasons Quatuor Temporum. Autumn brings the September, or Michaelmas, Embertide; winter, the Advent Embertide; Spring, the Lenten Embertide; and in summer, the Whit Embertide (named after Whitsunday, the Feast of Pentecost). The Embertides are periods of prayer and fasting, and having a collect and reading. Zechariah 8:19 called for four fasts a year "fast of the fourth month, and a fast of the fifth, and a fast of the seventh, and a fast of tenth" In the days of Jesus, Jews fasted on Tuesday and Thursday as Friday was the day of preparation for the Sabath. The Early Church changed this custom and fasted Wednesday because it was the day Jesus was betrayed, and Friday because it was the day he was crucified. In the West, Christians added Saturday to the fasting days in the four seasons. In 494, Gelasius I of Rome, set Ember Saturdays for ordinations at the end of the fast (see Acts 13:3)
Alleluai! The Spirit of the Lord fills the world *
O come let us adore him. Alleluia!NOTE: If you follow the custom of the ancient Church, Eastertide-Ascensiontide being completed, kneeling is appropriate during the week. Fasting and special devotion is appropriate on Wednesday and Friday weekly, and for this week in Embertide, on Saturday.
Monday in Whitsun Week
Send, we beseech thee, Almighty God, thy Holy Spirit into our hearts, that he may direct and rule us according to thy will, comfort us in all our afflictions, defend us from all error, and lead us into all truth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with thee and the same Holy Spirit liveth and reigneth, one God, world without end. Amen.
O GOD, who as at this time didst teach the hearts of thy faithful people, by sending to them the light of thy Holy Spirit; Grant us by the same Spirit to have a right judgment in all things, and evermore to rejoice in his holy comfort; through the merits of Christ Jesus our Saviour, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the same Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen.Acts x. 34 & St. John iii. 16 & Homily
http://www.orderofcenturions.org/documents/whitsun_monday.html#readingsOf a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
but in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.
O GOD, who as at this time didst teach the hearts of thy faithful people, by sending to them the light of thy Holy Spirit; Grant us by the same Spirit to have a right judgment in all things, and evermore to rejoice in his holy comfort; through the merits of Christ Jesus our Saviour, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the same Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen.
This Collect is to be said daily throughout Whitsun Week.
"The safest place for me to be is in the center of God's will, and if that is in the line of fire, that is where I will be." -- Father Tim Vakoc, Army chaplain
Commend this article by Lt. Col (Ret) Oliver North find it here http://www.townhall.com/columnists/ollienorth/on20050326.shtml
I recommend you review some of his previous articles as well. See them listed here http://www.townhall.com/columnists/ollienorth/on20050326.shtml
Colonel North has been long recognized as a Christian Warrior.
Painting of Gerard http://www.smom-za.org/images/mecatti.jpg
Next to Hugh and Ubaldesca, Gerard is held in the highest esteem by the Order of Malta. See a very complete account of his life at link after the collect.
"O God, who called blessed Gerard, like your own Son, to intense striving in the wilderness, strengthen us by penance and prayer and make us fitter for our Christian duties. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen."
GRANT, we beseech thee, Almighty God, that like as we do believe thy only-begotten Son our Lord Jesus Christ to have ascended into the heavens; so we may also in heart and mind thither ascend, and with him continually dwell, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.
Daniel 7:9, Psalm 96, Acts i.1 St. Luke xxiv. 49.
http://www.orderofcenturions.org/documents/ascension.html
"Since our Nation's earliest days, prayer has given strength and comfort to Americans of all faiths. Our Founding Fathers relied on their faith to guide them as they built our democracy. Today, we continue to be inspired by God's blessings, mercy, and boundless love. As we observe this National Day of Prayer, we humbly acknowledge our reliance on the Almighty, express our gratitude for His blessings, and seek His guidance in our daily lives. Throughout our history, our Nation has turned to prayer for strength and guidance in times of challenge and uncertainty. ... Across our country, Americans turn daily to God in reverence. We ask Him to care for all those who suffer or feel helpless, knowing that God sees their needs and calls on us to meet them. As our first President wrote in 1790, 'May the father of all mercies scatter light and not darkness in our paths.' As we face the challenges of our times, God's purpose continues to guide us, and we continue to trust in the goodness of His plans." --President George W. Bush
Next, I bid your prayers for America, our President, your Governor and Congressmen, our service members and their leaders, the Church in America, and for peace and prosperity, families, communities, etc.
One might like to use a Litany of Prayers with special intention for America - pausing for the different verses and thinking of those things in your life that you wish to hold up in prayer. See it here http://www.orderofcenturions.org/documents/litany.html
Finally, here is the National Day of Prayer web site: http://www.nationaldayofprayer.org/
"God shed His grace on thee."
TIME DEUM ET OPERARE IUSTITIAM
ORDER OF CENTURIONS
"Now when the centurion, and they that were with him,
watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done,
they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God"
Isaiah i. 10, Psalm 51, St. James i. 22, St. John xvi. 23 and Homily
http://www.orderofcenturions.org/documents/easter5.html
Be ye doers of the Word
