Praying For Peace

I watched in disbelief as the breaking news that October 7^th morning reported that terrorists had attacked Israel. Thousands of innocent people were wounded or killed, and Israel and Hamas are at war.

              Two weeks later, on this October 22^nd weekend, my daughter and I would have been among 20 people from our collaborative parishes travelling with Bishop Reed on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. It was going to be the trip of a lifetime- walking where Jesus had walked, visiting the towns where he performed miracles, standing in the Upper Room where the First Eucharist was celebrated, and experiencing the location where Jesus was crucified, buried and Resurrected.

I had put so much time into preparing for this trip. I spent weeks researching and compiling a travel document highlighting each site we would visit, I had ‘binge-watched’ the three seasons of “The Chosen” to familiarize myself with Christ’s life in the Holy Land, and I was listening to the “Bible in a Year” podcast to deepen my faith.

Why was this incredibly faith-filled experience being taken away? Why does God allow war and other devastating acts of hatred to occur among his beloved children? With so many innocent civilians being killed or uprooted from their homes, what can any of us really do in the face of such extremism?

We find in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (2317): “Injustice, excessive economic or social inequalities, envy, distrust, and pride raging among men and nations constantly threaten peace and cause wars”. While violence may not always be avoided or resolved, God will work things together for the good (Romans 8:28).  Our duty as Christians is to combat evil situations by turning to prayer. God can show His mercy, protection, and intervention when we go to Him with heartfelt devotion, regularly receive His body in the Eucharist at Mass, obey His commandments, and choose love and peace in our interactions with others.

The October 7^th attack on Israel occurred coincidentally on the Feast Day of Our Lady of the Rosary. When the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to the young children at Fatima, she indicated that to bring about world peace we should recite the rosary and have a devotion to her Immaculate Heart. Our Blessed Mother wants nothing more than to safeguard our salvation and intercede on our behalf with her Son. The current state of world events is a reminder that we must deepen our spiritual efforts and the rosary should be a daily commitment in each of our lives.

Although I am disappointed that our Holy Land trip was cancelled, visiting, or not visiting the places where Jesus lived does not change the fact that I am a child of God, who, by following His Word, will one day share glory with Him in heaven. As stated in Deut 30:19 “…I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse; therefore, choose life, that you and your descendants may live, loving the lord your God, obeying his voice, and clinging to him; for that means life to you and length of days, that you may dwell in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers…”

In this time of heightened global turmoil, we ask God to change the hearts and minds of those consumed by evil. We pray that differences can be quickly settled through diplomacy, that human life is spared, and that we can all enjoy living in a safe, peaceful world.