ShortTimer
JBHSaw this last night:
Orthodox priests were putting themselves in between rioting protesters and police forces. And just to give some idea how bad it is, beyond the protesters’ trebuchets and homemade rioting gear… when the police are throwing molotov cocktails, it’s bad.
There were reports yesterday of government forces moving tanks in to deal with the protesters and rioters, and video and pictures of tanks on railcars moving in.
And then today, it looks like things started to cool down – halted in no small part by Orthodox priests who stood between the two clashing sides. Not taking sides, just standing amidst them and putting an end to the violence through faith.
Contrast that resolution with the actions of religious leaders in the Middle East during the so-called “arab spring”.
The Patriot Perspective 
Reblogged this on Brittius.com.
God bless the priests, give them the courage of their convictions!
When I was in Vietnam, Catholic priests would be saying mass, and occasionally attacks would take place. The priests kept saying mass. If they were on the Holy Eucharist, absolutely nothing, could stop them or get them to take cover, or finish it up later.
Unbelievable courage. Same thing if they were giving the sacrament of Last Rites, nothing would stop them, and until I figured it out, I wondered, where, they got their courage from. I wanted some of their courage, and I wasn’t very far from the mark.
I have given Communion under fire in Panama during Just cause and the Gulf War (Desert Storm). I had faith in God and my men. The 1st Sergeant of C Company in Panama briefly interrupted my Communion as we were being sniped at grabbed a M203 from a soldier jacked a grenade through the window from which we were being sniped at with the comment, “this shit is going to stop now,” and it did! I am Lutheran he was a devout Catholic. He then took Communion, tapped two troops to go check out the mess and call back the next squad!
God Bless You.
I was in DaNang. Fighting was heavy-duty. We used to think the priests were completely out of their minds. Over time, I figured, that there was something to be learned. I had faith, but witnessing what I did, I concluded, that was, the tempering. That was like being heated almost white-hot and rapped sharply with a blacksmith’s hammer, held in the Most skillful of hands. I realized, that life, was not about “me”, it was about helping others. At times it was very difficult. When I came home, it had affected me to the point that I wanted to help people who had nobody to stand-up for them, and be a positive addition to humanity, so I became a cop. Some people called me an angel, and other people called me something else.
Amen! When I was busy ministering to others, I never worried about myself. Nothing have I enjoyed more than ministering to soldiers. Only my soldiers could say “F” you in a loving way when I was teasing them to hear me say, “I love you too, but not in that way!”
Understood. I was a Marine. Amongst ourselves, barracks talk is salty. We refrain from it outside of that. If anyone dared say something off color, unless they hit their thumb with a hammer, we would be afraid that some sergeant would wash our mouths out with soap.., and the Marines, would do it (gladly). Bad words in front of a Chaplain..? I would rather bite my tongue very hard.
Joking with the guys, I understand.
Not as restrained in the Army. I took it in context. some troops would not, but I did not rag on or chastise those who did. Some were that way. I took them as is. I have served truckers, loggers, and ranchers all of whom could get a bit off color, but if they got too big a rise out of you, they’d goad you more. If they saw you loved them in spite of their faults they always came to worship and never cussed there! The First Sergeants always said I got more done asking nicely, than most officers or NCO’s barking orders. And I was always brutally honest with the troops no BS on what mattered to them!