WASHINGTON – Several years ago, my column deadline was such that I wrote on Sundays, right after church. Which is to say, when my wits were dulled by grace and my gimlet eye blurred by the rosy hues of brotherly love.

Noting that my usual edge wasn’t as sharp, my editor came up with an idea: “Do you think you could write on Saturdays?” I mention this by way of warning that I’ve just left the 53rd National Prayer Breakfast and I’m not my usual self.

I’m feeling nice.

I am not, however, feeling all that rosy – if that helps – having arrived at the Washington Hilton at 6:45 a.m. to begin the security processing of 3,000 fellow attendees. Nevertheless, I can’t bring myself to wish, as some have, that the nation end the tradition of the prayer breakfast on account that some of those present might not be 100 percent free of hypocrisy.

I’ve read opinions to that effect and, prayerfully, disagree. For one thing, as I’ve noted before, hypocrisy is the bedrock of civilization. “Do as I say, not as I do” is writ large in the Universal Manual of Approved Parenting Standards. We humans are imperfect, but conscience – notably absent from lower life forms, some of whom also happen to be human – keeps us mindful that we ought to keep trying.

In the interest of full disclosure, I’m not on God’s payroll. Nor on the president’s. I could make a pretty strong case that I’m barely on my own newspaper’s payroll, which explains why I do, with some regularity, pray.

I’m also not a regular churchgoer now that the little darlings have left the nest. Moreover, as one of the breakfast speakers said, “I’d rather see a sermon than hear one.” Thus, I attended my first National Prayer Breakfast agenda-free and expecting to be possibly (a) bored; (b) very bored; (c) stricken with angst and existential fidgets.

To my surprise, I found myself spiritually touched, emotionally moved and intellectually appreciative that 3,000 men and women from 140 countries – including the presidents of Honduras and Madagascar – had gone to the trouble of gathering together for a couple of hours “in the spirit of Jesus.”

This phrase no doubt was deliberate, as “spirit of Jesus” is inclusive of all mankind, rather than limited to Christians as might be inferred from “in the name of Jesus.” That is to say, those gathered were meeting in the spirit of humility and the desire to do good. Not once did I hear anyone invoke “jihad” against infidels. No mention, either, of “crusades,” for the record.

Despite my own religious vagueness, I’ve never understood why mere mention of the name Jesus evokes pursed-lip disapproval from those who insist that public offices should be bereft of religion. Freedom from state-imposed religion, which all but a few random kooks embrace, shouldn’t preclude public officials from occasionally acknowledging the role of faith in their daily conduct. Nor should it preclude their decisions from being informed by that faith. There are surely worse things than congressional leaders and presidents joining hands with ministers, priests, rabbis and others to submit before a higher power. Or, as President George W. Bush put it Thursday, “opening ourselves to God’s priorities, especially by hearing the cries of the poor and the less fortunate.”

Tony Hall, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Agencies, is one of those who responds to the cries. Speaking of his work fighting world hunger, he recounted once seeing 25 children die in a matter of minutes.

“I never got over that,” said Hall, whose current job permits him to feed hungry people every day.

It takes a rare and empty cynicism to look for cracks in the facade of whatever motivates a man to visit Earth’s most impoverished corners and look squarely in the face of human suffering. Helping others less fortunate, feeding the hungry, tending the sick. Crazy.

If those who elect to submit themselves to the kind of scrutiny we in the media dish out daily also find strength in a power greater than themselves, then I say more power to them and pass the bagels. And amen.