On February 2nd, 2006, U2's front man Bono (Paul David Hewson) spoke at the U.S. National Prayer Breakfast in Washington D.C.

I did not know this until our minister here in San Francisco, Fred Harrell, sent me a message suggesting that Bono's "sermon" might be an appropriate post for our Rugged Elegant Living audience.

Rev. Harrell, who has quoted Bono on occasion during his own sermons, referred to Bono as a prophet.

After you read his remarks from last week, you may agree.

Certainly, you will agree that while one of Time Magazine's People of 2005 (Bill and Melinda Gates were the others) likes to look through rose colored glasses, he does not do so when it comes to the issue of poverty and AIDS in Africa.

Upon introducing Bono to the crowd, President Bush said:

He's a doer.

The thing about this good citizen of the world is he's used his position to get things done.

You're an amazing guy, Bono. God bless you.

Here is the full text of Bono's speech in Washington along with Bush's response to Bono's call to action:

Bono's 2006 National Prayer Breakfast Remarks

If you're wondering what I'm doing here, at a prayer breakfast, well, so am I. I'm certainly not here as a man of the cloth, unless that cloth is leather. It's certainly not because I'm a rock star. Which leaves one possible explanation: I'm here because I've got a messianic complex.

Yes, it's true. And for anyone who knows me, it's hardly a revelation.
Well, I'm the first to admit that there's something unnatural...something unseemly...about rock stars mounting the pulpit and preaching at presidents, and then disappearing to their villas in the south of France. Talk about a fish out of water. It was weird enough when Jesse Helms showed up at a U2 concert...but this is really weird, isn't it?

You know, one of the things I love about this country is its separation of church and state. Although I have to say: in inviting me here, both church and state have been separated from something else completely: their mind.

Mr. President, are you sure about this?

It's very humbling and I will try to keep my homily brief. But be warned - I'm Irish.

I'd like to talk about the laws of man, here in this city where those laws are written. And I'd like to talk about higher laws. It would be great to assume that the one serves the other; that the laws of man serve these higher laws...but of course, they don't always. And I presume that, in a sense, is why you're here.

I presume the reason for this gathering is that all of us here - Muslims, Jews, Christians - all are searching our souls for how to better serve our family, our community, our nation, our God.

I know I am. Searching, I mean. And that, I suppose, is what led me here, too.
Yes, it's odd, having a rock star here - but maybe it's odder for me than for you. You see, I avoided religious people most of my life. Maybe it had something to do with having a father who was Protestant and a mother who was Catholic in a country where the line between the two was, quite literally, a battle line. Where the line between church and state was...well, a little blurry, and hard to see.

I have yet to take down the Christmas tree. After all, Christmas only ended formally on January 6th. However, I have already begun thinking about Valentine's Day -- only because I've been receiving emails reminding me that the next major gift-giving holiday is a little more than a month away.

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