IN his book, “Let Us Dream, The Path to a Better Future” Pope Francis acknowledges the challenging realities of our times. He states:
“Sometimes, when I think about the challenges before us, I feel overwhelmed. But I’m never hopeless. We are accompanied. We are being sifted, yes, and it is painful; many of us feel powerless and even afraid. But there is also an opportunity in this crisis to come out better.
What the Lord asks us today is a culture of service, not a throwaway culture. But we can’t serve others unless we let their reality speak to us.
To go there, you have to open your eyes and let the suffering around you touch you so that you hear the Spirit of God speaking to you from the margins.”
These words of Pope Francis could help us grapple with the painful realities of the war in Ukraine. Indeed, like the Holy Father, the war in Ukraine has shaken us to the core of our being. It has “sifted” us like wheat, which means that it has made us see the horrific effects of war: the diabolic violence against humanity and the devastation of a country and its people. But it has also made us recognize our common bonds and the goodness of our hearts, like compassion, prayers, and assistance for the people of Ukraine.
Again, borrowing the insights of Pope Francis, the war in Ukraine is revealing everyone’s heart: “how solid it is, how merciful, how big or small.” It allows us to make the right choices, showing our true hearts.
We must choose to keep rejecting and renouncing the evil forces happening in our world and do everything possible to bring peace. We hope that these are the choices of our world leaders.
The Holy Father urges us to guard ourselves against despair, discouragement, and pessimism, the devil’s works. Instead, he asks us to be co-creators of the future. He states:
“From this crisis we can come out better or worse. We can slide backward or we can create something new. But, for now, what we need is the chance to make space for the new things we need. It’s like God says to Isaiah: Come, let us talk this over. If you are ready to listen, we will have a great future. But if you refuse to listen, you’ll be devoured by the sword (Isaiah 1-18-20).
Let’s keep praying for the end of the war in Ukraine. Let’s show the people of Ukraine that we’re one with them in their sufferings and pain. Let’s pray for our world leaders to find solutions to these global conflicts. And let’s heed the call of the Holy Father to pray for Russia through the intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
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The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.
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Fr. Rodel “Odey” Balagtas is the pastor of Incarnation Church in Glendale, California.
