THANK GOD; HEALTH CARE SIGNED INTO LAW

(The following article was taken from episcopallife on line.)

President signs health bill into law

Faith-based groups stay the course

By Lynette Wilson, March 23, 2010

[Episcopal News Service] President Barack Obama signed the health-insurance overhaul bill, extending coverage to some 30 million uninsured people, into law March 23 during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House.
"After a century of trying, today after over a year of debate, today, after all the votes have been tallied, health insurance reform becomes law in America," said Obama, during the ceremony broadcast live on television and the Internet.
Diocese of Connecticut Bishop Suffragan James E. Curry, speaking to ENS from the House of Bishops meeting in Camp Allen, Texas, called the legislation "a wonderful step that continues our national walk toward accessibility." The Episcopal Church's longstanding commitment to health care reform is deeply rooted in the Baptismal Covenant, he said

To read the balance of this article go to: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/79901_121035_ENG_HTM.htm

Prayer for Peace

The following post was taken from an E-mail sent by the

Episcopal Peace Fellowship.

PRAY: Prayer for Unity in a Time of War by Kathy Kelly

I implore you then, live up to your calling...spare no effort to make fast with bonds of peace the unity which the Spirit gives. - Ephesians 4:1, 3

Thou hope and joy of all creation, You have given to all generations the power to seek you, and in seeking you, to find you. Grant us, we pray, a clearer vision of your truth, greater faith in your power, more confident assurance of your love.

Our sisters and brothers in Iraq suffer overwhelming grief and affliction. Bombed, maimed, mutilated, wasted, tormented, these our brothers and sisters endure unending war, much of it fueled by U.S. wealth and arrogance. Grant us, we pray, courage to overcome our cautions, to set aside our unjust comforts, to resist the works of war and embrace the works of mercy.

Grant us, we pray, the grace to hear deep in our hearts our Muslim brothers' and sisters' daily call to prayer: "O God you are peace. From you is peace and unto you is peace. Let us live our lives in peace. Bring us into your peace. Unto you be honor and glory. We hear and obey. Grant us your forgiveness God, and unto you be our becoming." Amen.

The “Fruits” of the Health Care Debate

The "Fruits" of the Health Care Debate

While watching the news on CNN recently, and listening to the latest report on what has become a perpetual news item, the Health Care legislation, it occurred to me that there are two simple motivations that the legislators need to focus on.

In our national mythology there is a phrase that Republican or Democrat, conservative or liberal would say that they subscribe to. That is that individuals have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The passage of the Health Care bill would go a long way in assuring the first item in that quote; for access to health care would assure more people not only life in overcoming illness but probably a better quality of life. With life one can then pursue the other two guarantees of liberty (freed from sickness) and the pursuit of happiness (note the word pursuit).

The second motivation is one that the legislators, many of whom describe themselves as Christians, would say that they subscribe to. That is the concept that Christians will be known by their fruits (Matthew 7: 20). In general, if one listens carefully to the motivations of each side of the debate, those favoring the passage of the bill will focus on the needs of the individual; especially those without insurance or those struggling to pay for insurance.

On the other side of the issue the verbiage, if not the pictures, speaks to what this will mean for the corporations. Jesus, the individual the conservative Christians at least give lip service to following, while he walked this Earth was found among and serving the least and the lost and was about bringing to account the powers of the world, the civil and religious authorities of his time. The large insurance and drug companies are two of the "powers of this world" in our time who do not want this legislation to pass.

"Thus, you will know them by their fruits." What "fruits" does an individual legislator support; the rights of and care for individuals, as exemplified by Jesus, or the perpetuation of the status quo the influence of the powers of this world, that in the time of Jesus were represented by the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and the Roman Empire?