U2 can pastor the city

"the city's alight/ 
With lovers and lies/
Oh, the city's afire, a passionate flame/
It knows me by name ...surrender!"

Cities in Scripture (see Ellul) are both satanic and Spirited, harshly human and hugely holy.

Every city (including ours) is called and destined to be a city of blinding lights.
Sometimes it takes prophetic guests to plug in the lights, that the redemptive gift of the city can be spotlighted and spotted

Whenever intercessors take on a road trip to take on resident principalities, I would venture that something happens that blesses the city; perhaps not as dramatically as we captured on video here, but something surely happens and Someone surely shows up every time.


On the previous tour, Pastor Bono was intentional about blessing each city; reversing the curse of each city ...especially in "Yahweh," as the lyrics would become "Yahweh..bless this city's heart..," in his benediction at the close of (Psalm) "40," (May God bless you..stay safe in the city of Chicago..watch out for the traffic.."

(Of course, anytime his security lets a girl onstage, even if he prays for her..."Yahweh, take this girl.."... he takes the risk that a non-Yahweh-oriented gal will attempt to grab some booty right in the middle of a "church song." Watch it all here, as Bono concludes as he brushes off the advances, "Yahweh's got a sense of humor, too"... I witnessed a version of this in Sacramento)

This tour, the new and evolving intro to "Beautiful Day"..some call it Celtic, some Arabic..may be taking on this place in the liturgy/line up; as you can see below in Milano. The man sings/speaks to the city, with typical worship/prophetic hand motions. On the previous tour, it was the closing of the song that sometimes served mightily this way. See this incredible clip (3:33ff) ".rise up, with wings like eagles..Chicago!...Higher, higher than the Hancock Tower." It feels like we are eavesdropping on a Call rally,or Pentecostal prayer meeting.

 I shared a sunrise in 1998 at a monument/"high place" overlooking Asuncion, Paraguay, with local believers praying blessing over the city below.
All I can say is it was the same vibe..It's just that U2 are planting the monument/cathedral/claw/tabernacle smack in the middle of each city's stadium/heart/public square.

Bono has captured, likely intentionally the biblical construct of speaking to/calling out the spirit/soul of a city..The letters in Revelation 2-3 are even addressed to the "spirit" (or "angel") of each city. And I dare to believe, somehow, that each city's spiritual atmosphere has been changed once the boys and the portathedral have moved on to the next town..

Of course, the video for "Magnificent"(watch below , and read commentary here) would seem to be a call for the city to take off the graveclothes and "look up".

It may be inspired by Christ and Christo.


Or maybe it's just a video (:


And this is only rock and roll.

"i don't believe that rock and roll can really change the world
as it spins in revolutions, spirals and turns.."
Bless my city, Lord...and start with me..
but it would help if the Irish travelling preachers could come to town with their tent revival and sacred spire.