On August 20 of this year, with the support of several church and public figures, the steadfastly ecumenical prayer movement Hazádnak was launched, and it is possible to join it until April 3, until the parliamentary elections.
"Let's pray every day that there will be representatives in the parliament who try to do their work as representatives in the spirit of the Ten Commandments - taking every point of it seriously," reads the call. Among the supporters of the movement are fathers Csaba Böjte and Zoltán Osztie, but also the names of famous people who do not work in the church, such as András Csókay or the actress Anna Kubik.
Its dreamers and implementers: Péter Gál and László Surján - the honorary president of the KDNP - spoke to Vasárnap.hu about the purpose and birth of the prayer movement.
"Last summer, I was already strongly concerned with the question: what will happen after April 3? It was then that I thought that as believing Christians, we must unite and pray to the Good Lord for our future," said Péter Gál in Be faithful to your country with steadfast prayer now, Hungarians! – the dreamer of the prayer movement. "Prayer is one of the most effective spiritual weapons, especially when several of us pray for the same thing," he declared.
The movement started on August 20, the feast of King Saint Stephen, and you can join it at any time until the day of the parliamentary elections. Péter Gál said that the date is of symbolic importance, since Saint Stephen established our Christian state, the basis of our national existence, and by offering a crown to the Virgin Mary, made her our Heavenly Mother.
Immediately after the launch, many people signed up, but even recently, new people are joining the initiative every day, even if in smaller numbers. Currently, someone from nearly a thousand settlements or on behalf of settlements regularly prays every day, from New Zealand to Canada, from England to Argentina, and of course most of them in Hungary together with the Hungarians living abroad.
Péter Gál said that the way to apply is very simple : you have to contact him by e-mail or by phone (see: Ima2022.hu ). Those who join agree to pray daily according to the prayer intention of the movement. How much and what, everyone decides according to their heart. You can apply alone, in a community or as a family.
According to László Surján, the parliamentary debate culture would change radically if the ten commandments were followed
The initiator revealed that Christian Democrat politician László Surján helped him a lot, who also spoke to our newspaper about the prayer movement. According to him, the goal of the prayer movement is simple. We need to pray that people who follow the Ten Commandments will be elected to the National Assembly, as it is also the basic principle of human coexistence. The second stone tablet, which defines the relationship with our fellow human beings, can be followed by all people.
According to him, this would also radically change the parliamentary debate culture, which has been losing its authority more and more lately. He emphasized that both sides can be held responsible for this, and added: it is important not to pray against someone, but for something.
"I think that the respect of the opponent strengthens and qualifies me. If I insult the opponent, I insult myself. So this is also an aspect of participating in discussions with dignity."
The Christian Democrat politician thinks:
"We, Christian people, often ask God for help in our daily affairs. We can pray for politics in the same way. Of course, we can pray for the success of a party dear to us, but this initiative does not apply to parties. All Christians can join it, regardless of party preferences.”
His words revealed that although the initiative is aimed at Christians, the realization of the prayer intention is in the interest of all people.
"Christians have a mission towards all people, which can be realized even in this kind of thing."
He was happy to say that many people from across the border have already joined the movement, which shows the unity of the Hungarian nation.
The connection of faith and politics is inappropriate according to many believers and non-believers. However, by praying for politicians, that is clearly what we are doing. According to László Surján, these two cannot be separated from each other, since Sunday Christianity cannot exist without true faith.
"Whoever professes to be a Christian must represent it at every point of his life, with every action. We cannot separate the different areas of life, where God is with us and where He is not, since He is present everywhere."
According to him - as at that time XVI. Pope Benedict also formulated it - "our religious life really starts with meeting one person, Jesus". After that, and after the meeting, it permeates all areas of our lives.
He emphasized that it is not always easy to follow God's path, and it is natural that we often stumble, since we are all human. But we still have to follow this path.
"For example, it is very difficult for me to process and understand that my rival, about whom I think a lot of bad things, is just as much a child of God as I am, and God loves him just the same."
He added that even during his active party political career, he always tried to follow the divine guidance. If someone's name came up in a negative context, he sometimes tried to say something good about it. This is what he recommends to others who struggle with this: let's always try to see the good in others.
With such a spirit and with the best possible intentions, let's join as many as possible to your country, be faithful to your country with unwavering prayer now, Hungarians! for a prayer movement.
Source: Vasarnap.hu
Author: Ildikó Ungvári
In our opening image: Drones forming a cross over the Danube on August 20, 2021. Source: MTI/ Zoltán Máthé
