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During a recent worship service, Pete Hegseth, known for his patriotic fervor, delivered a poignant prayer that was handed to him by the “lead mission planner” involved in a daring rescue operation. This mission, aimed at retrieving two Air Force personnel shot down over Iran, was marked by high stakes and intense pressure.
In his invocation, Hegseth adapted a powerful message, saying, “The path of the downed aviator is beset on all sides by the iniquities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men.” His words resonated with the audience, invoking a sense of duty and solidarity among all those gathered.
He continued with a stirring exhortation: “Blessed is he who, in the name of camaraderie and duty, shepherds the lost through the valley of darkness, for he is truly his brother’s keeper and the finder of lost children.” This statement underscored the profound sense of responsibility felt by those involved in rescue missions.
Hegseth’s prayer culminated with a powerful declaration: “And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to capture and destroy my brother. And you will know my call sign is Sandy 1 when I lay my vengeance upon thee, and amen.” This dramatic conclusion drew attention for its bold and cinematic phrasing.
Sean Parnell, a spokesperson for the Pentagon, remarked on the prayer’s content, noting that it was “obviously inspired by dialogue in Pulp Fiction.” The reference to the iconic film highlights how popular culture can intersect with real-life events, even in solemn settings.
“However, both the CSAR prayer and the dialogue in Pulp Fiction were reflections of the verse Ezekiel 25:17, as Secretary Hegseth clearly said in his remarks at the prayer service,” Parnell said.Â
“Anyone saying the Secretary misquoted Ezekiel 25:17 is peddling fake news and ignorant of reality.”
Jackson’s character utters the verse before gunning down a small-time criminal who owed his gangster boss money.
But Hegseth’s prayer changed “the LORD” in the Bible so it was instead about the unit involved in the rescue.
He has also made the extraordinary rare move of attacking the pope after he called for peace in the Middle East.
“In the same way that it’s important for the vice president of the United States to be careful when I talk about matters of public policy, I think it’s very, very important for the Pope to be careful when he talks about matters of theology,” Vance said.
“If you’re going to opine on matters of theology, you’ve got to be careful, you’ve got to make sure it’s anchored in the truth.”
Today the Archbishop of Canterbury, the most senior member of clergy in the Anglican church, issued a statement in support of the Catholic pontiff.
“I stand with my brother in Christ, his holiness Pope Leo XIV, in his courageous call for a kingdom of peace,” Archbishop Sarah Mullally said.
“As innocent people are killed and displaced, families torn apart and futures destroyed, the human cost of war is incalculable.”
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