"There in the wilds of West Virginia, away from home and friends, we consecrated and offered up to the ever-loving G-d of Israel our prayers and sacrifice".
We consecrated the deaths of tens of thousands of men and women in MCC churches across the country -- many of them abandoned by their families of origin.
We remember how sometimes, on some random Tuesday in our past, we consecrated our shared humanness and it blesses us still.
We consecrate our precious lives, and celebrate the continuously wondrous miracle of the unfolding of our Selves.When we carve out a niche in our busy lives to do the sorts of things that feed our soul, we are affirming our Self-worth, acknowledging that we crave and deserve our own undivided attention.
But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate — we cannot consecrate — we cannot hallow — this ground.
In a little-noted address at some battlefield not long remembered, he wrote, "But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground".
Along with the many who perished on September 11, they too bring to mind President Abraham Lincoln's words in the Gettysburg Address that "in a larger sense, we can not dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground.
"We cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow, this ground," Lincoln said at Gettysburg.
But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate, we can not consecrate, we can not hallow this ground.
We will recite the mourner's kaddish for those who have died over the last weeks, we will consecrate their memory by reading their names, and we will call on the representatives of our community to join us as we demand an end the war on Gaza, an end to occupation, and freedom and dignity for all people of the region.
"We cannot consecrate the blessed sacraments at a Mass, we can't give absolution or hear confessions or forgive and we cannot anoint the sick," Mr. Reilly said.
