Think about this for a second. The bishops prayed for and with a powerful person!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here’s the thing. You get what you want out of prayer. For the bishops they prayed to God for the good of this country. The White House got a photo op out of it. I hope President Trump was open to receiving graces but I can’t judge that.

The shocking news here is that President Trump is a politician? Who knew? Breaking news, right?

But now, the bishops are being pushed to issue an apology for praying for President Trump and advocating for religious freedom and love. Why? They have absolutely nothing to apologize for. None. Let’s look at what actually happened here.

The bishops went to the White House to advocate for human rights, for basic human dignity, and for religious freedom. Isn’t that exactly what they are supposed to do? That’s their whole job.

And while they were there, they prayed for the man who is actively making those monumental decisions. They asked for divine protection for the President of the United States. Of course they did! They’re bishops! They did nothing untoward. Not a single thing.

Yet, right on cue, the outrage machine revs up. People come crawling out of the woodwork to attack them. Why? Because a photograph of men of faith praying for the President somehow leaked into the public view? It’s completely upside down. It’s insane. This is precisely what spiritual leaders ought to be doing, but the second the media starts screeching, everyone panics.
It makes you wonder: what are they actually so afraid of?

This is the Pharisees all over again. They’re criticizing Jesus for hanging out with sinners. Newsflash: sinners need Jesus, too.
There is a fundamental, deliberate misunderstanding at play here. The bishops are there to save souls. The politician is there to win elections. Both are doing what they do. Now, the critics will jump up and down and rant about the “separation of Church and state.” But ask yourself: don’t we want the people leading this country to look to God? Because if they don’t, I guarantee you what their God will be. It’ll be power. Pure, unchecked power.

We need religious leaders praying for our politicians. Honestly, if you ask me, there’s not nearly enough of that going on.
Now, did the White House attempt to turn a genuine, pastoral moment into a cheap political flashpoint without their consent? Probably. Do I expect anything different from Washington? Of course not.

Me? I want more of this. Not less.