27 Hour Prayer Vigil Begins on Sunday
From LifeSiteNews
By Peter J. Smith
Americans converging on Washington for protests and rallies against President Obama's health-care reforms this weekend intend to fight like it all depends on them, and pray like it all depends on God.Buses packed with protestors from around the nation, including those on the famous "Tea Party Express," are set to converge on Washington and march upon the nation's Capitol to express their collective dissent with Congressional plans to radically reform the health-care system in the United States. Estimates for the numbers of protestors expected to arrive number anywhere between 50,000 to 100,000.
But after this weekend's marching and meeting with public representatives in Washington is done, a group of pro-life, Christian, and other leaders will initiate a public vigil to pray that taxpayer funding of abortion will not end up the final version of the current congressional health care plans under consideration in Congress.
Twenty-seven hours of prayer will begin on Sunday, September 13 at 7:00 P.M. and will conclude on Monday, September 14 at 10:00 P.M.
"Our nation is in more than an economic crisis or a crisis over health care. We are in a spiritual crisis and the best way to address it, in fact the only way to address it is through prayer," said Rev. Rob Schenck, President of Faith and Action.
"Every American, no matter how young or old, can and must pray."
The current version of the Obama health-care plan in the House of Representatives includes a so-called "compromise" measure on abortion called the Capps Amendment, which pro-life advocates say does not eliminate public subsidies for abortion and is no compromise. Instead, they point out that, thanks to this amendment, H.R. 3200 now mandates that at least one insurance plan provide coverage for abortion in every area in the United States. The bill also creates new streams of revenue not restricted by current federal laws such as the Hyde Amendement, which can be used to subsidize abortions under the public option and go to subsidize insurance companies that cover abortions in the form of "affordability credits."
"In times of great challenge and crisis, Americans have always turned to God in prayer. We have set these 27 hours apart to seek God for his wisdom, direction and counsel for our nation. This is especially true concerning the national debate on health care," said Rev. Patrick J. Mahoney, Director of the Christian Defense Coalition.
Mahoney said that the faith leaders will gather on the West Lawn of the United States Capitol to pray to God that public money is not used to subsidize abortion and that any health reform coming out of Congress will genuinely embrace "social justice and human rights." "We will be a bold public and prophetic witness that abortion is not health care and that health care reform should bring healing and compassion, not violence and brokenness. As people of faith, we do not have to sit on the sidelines and watch as events unfold on the world state," continued Mahoney. "Rather, through prayer, fasting and repentance we can help shape history."
