The House Chaplain Is Starting to Offer Shutdown-Related Prayers...but It's Not What You Think

Rev. Rob MacIlvaine, the guest chaplain for the U.S. House of Representatives, praised Congress on Wednesday for its bravery during the partial government shutdown.

“Father, I thank you for the heroic leadership that this House of Representatives has exemplified in the past week during this present crisis,” said MacIlvaine, who was sponsored by Rep. Jim Bridenstine (R-Okla). “I thank you for the late nights, I thank you their heroic efforts to seek compromise and I thank you for the creative solutions they’ve proposed. And yet Lord, at present, there is no solution."

But here’s something strange: Senate Chaplain Barry C. Black had on the same day criticized members of Congress for withholding death benefits from the families of fallen U.S. soldiers.

“Forgive us for continuing to sow the wind even when hearing the sounds of the approaching whirlwind,” Black said. “Lord, when our federal shutdown delays payments of death benefits to the families of children dying on far-away battlefields, it’s time for our lawmakers to say enough is enough."

Black, a former U.S. Navy chaplain, isn’t new to criticizing Congress. Recall that just last week he asked God to “save us from the madness” of the partial government shutdown.

Has gridlock fever taken hold of even Congress’ chaplains?

(H/T: Roll Call)

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Featured image screen grab.

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