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Pope John Paul II
Homily Notes
RESPONSE: Loving God, hear our cry.
(Address at the Sunday Angelus, February 23, 2003)
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
1. For months the international community has been living in great apprehension on account of the danger of a war that might upset the whole Middle East region and aggravate the tensions that, unfortunately, are already present at the beginning of the third millennium. It is a duty for believers, regardless of the religion they belong to, to proclaim that we can never be happy if we are against one another, the future of humanity can never be assured by terrorism and the logic of war. We Christians, especially, are called to be sentinels of peace wherever we live and work. We are asked to watch out so that consciences may not yield to the temptation to egoism, lying and violence.
2. Therefore, I invite all Catholics to dedicate with special intensity next 5 March, Ash Wednesday, to prayer and fasting for the cause of peace, especially in the Middle East. Above all, let us ask God for the conversion of hearts and the farsightedness of just decisions to resolve with adequate and peaceful means the conflicts that impede the pilgrimage of humanity in our time. In every Marian shrine an ardent prayer for peace will be raised to heaven with the prayer of the Rosary. I trust that also in parishes and in families the Rosary will be prayed for this great cause on which the good of all depends.
This common invocation will be accompanied by fasting, the expression of penance for the hatred and violence that poison human relations. Christians share the ancient practice of fasting with so many brothers and sisters of other religions, who in this way want to shed all pride and prepare themselves to receive from God the greatest and most necessary gifts, among which, in particular, is that of peace.
3. From now on, we invoke on this initiative, which is placed at the beginning of Lent, the special assistance of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of Peace. Through her intercession, may the evangelical beatitude "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God" (Mt 5,9) resound with new force in the world and find concrete acceptance.
A Trumpet Call to Peace
Saint Paul, in his letter to the Corinthians captures our present historical moment : "Behold, now is a very acceptable time; behold now is the day of salvation." At a critical moment in history, the Church speaks a message of hopeful redemption to the world.
All of humanity has experienced over the last few months a growing anxiety over the possibility of war in an already very volatile part of the world. Each day with the passing of time we experience a sense of coming to a moment of crisis. How fitting then that we are called by the Church to a time of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.
Our penitential actions are a recognition that the seeds of hatred and war now growing so rapidly on the international scene have their roots in our own hearts: "For I acknowledge my offense, and my sin is before me always."
As Christians, however, we are not a people without hope. As "ambassadors" for Christ we call the world to never lose hope. Rather, as brothers and sisters of the Prince of Peace we are called to walk the way of peace and justice. In the words of Pope John Paul II: "Believers, whatever their religion, should proclaim that all will never be able to be happy opposing each other, and that the future of humanity will never be assured by terrorism and the logic of war." We can never give up pursuing the narrow way, a way which proclaims forgiveness and love of our enemies. Ultimately, it is the only way to a true and abiding peace.
We live in a sinful world where evil and hatred are all too common. Over the centuries, the Church has developed a rich tradition of ethical reflection on war and peace that provides directions for how to address the evil that confronts us. According to this tradition, governments have a right and duty to defend the common good against aggression. (See summary of church teaching on the web site) Our country is now faced with momentous decisions about war and peace, decisions about which people of good will may and do disagree. We must pray for wisdom and prudence as our elected leaders make very difficult choices about war and peace. As Catholic citizens and Catholic lay people who are called to transform the social order in light of the Gospel, we should take some time to reflect on the Church's teaching on war and peace, to consider the concerns the Holy Father and other church leaders have raised about war in Iraq, and to discern, as best we can, how best to live out our vocation to be "witnesses and agents of peace and justice" (Catechism, #2442) at this time.
This Ash Wednesday, we who are solemnly gathered together to begin Lent, direct our attention to a specific beatitude: "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God."
Not only are we called to pray for peace in the world, but we must also address in our own lives and surroundings the sinful selfishness, lies, violence and hatred which keep us from doing God's will. Today we receive ashes and hear the words: "Turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel." In a world that often know only the superficiality of externals, our God calls us to "rend our hearts, and not just our garments."
The last verse of the responsorial psalm captures our situation well. After confessing before God that we have sinned we confidently pray: "Give me back the joy of your salvation, and a willing spirit sustain in me."
That the nations of the world will be successful in avoiding war in the Middle East;
We pray to the Lord:
That all might turn from the selfishness, hatred, and violence that can take root in our hearts;
We pray to the Lord:
For leaders of nations, that the power of the Holy Spirit might grant them the wisdom to always seek justice and peace;
We pray to the Lord:
For those in our military who risk their lives in the service of our nation, that they might be protected from evil and harm;
We pray to the Lord:
For peacemakers, that they will be successful in building bridges of peace in our world;
We pray to the Lord:
For the people of Iraq, that they might be protected from harm and that they might know freedom and peace in their land;
We pray to the Lord:
That God might grant us the grace to address the deep causes of war, poverty, and injustice that afflict humanity today;
We pray to the Lord:
That each of us will be ambassadors of hope to a world oppressed by many problems;
We pray to the Lord:
That our families will always be schools for peace;
We pray to the Lord: