Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Happy Birthday to the Pope!





Wow, just finished watching President George W. Bush and Pope Benedict on the lawn of the White House. All the music was phenomenal. Kathleen Battle belted out The Lord's Prayer with such elegance. It was amazing. There were other songs but the US Army Choir sang, Battle Hymn of the Republic! It brought me to tears. Here are the lyrics to the Battle Hym of the Republic:

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord;
He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored;
He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword;
His truth is marching on.
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! His truth is marching on.

I have seen Him in the watch fires of a hundred circling camps
They have builded Him an altar in the evening dews and damps;
I can read His righteous sentence by the dim and flaring lamps;
His day is marching on.
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! His day is marching on.

I have read a fiery Gospel writ in burnished rows of steel;
“As ye deal with My contemners, so with you My grace shall deal”;
Let the Hero, born of woman, crush the serpent with His heel,
Since God is marching on.
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Since God is marching on.

He has sounded forth the trumpet that shall never call retreat;
He is sifting out the hearts of men before His judgment seat;
Oh, be swift, my soul, to answer Him! be jubilant, my feet;
Our God is marching on.
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Our God is marching on.

In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea,
With a glory in His bosom that transfigures you and me:
As He died to make men holy, let us live to make men free;
[originally …let us die to make men free]
While God is marching on.
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! While God is marching on.

He is coming like the glory of the morning on the wave,
He is wisdom to the mighty, He is honor to the brave;
So the world shall be His footstool, and the soul of wrong His slave,
Our God is marching on.
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Our God is marching on.


Happy Birthday Holy Father and God Bless America!

2 comments:

Jim said...

I was happy to see Pope Benedict at the White House on his birthday. And, I was especially happy to hear him say "God Bless the United States of America." Now here is a question that is right up your alley. I've been hearing a debate as to whether or not the US and the major cities the Pope will visit should have to foot the millions of dollars for his security since it is a religious visit. I don't have an opinion on this one but I was surprised at how much it was going to cost to provide security for a religious leader. So, what do you think? Should the tax payers foot the bill on this or should the Catholic Church and the Vatican pick up the tab for his security?

VoteNovember2008 said...

Well, I've been hearing that the White House considered it to be a State visit, in that case, I would think we would foot the bill. But I just heard on the news that the Catholic Church said it wasn't a State visit and that he would not be attending the dinner at the White House this evening because he rarely eats out in public! So your guess is as good as mine. I definitely believe that the Pope should be protected, I'd hate for something to happen to him on "our" watch! It has been amazing to see and hear most of his visit today, I'm glad I was able to watch a good bit of it. I guess it's a good think he arrived on Tax Deadline day when everyone mailed in their tax payments! LOL