Conflicts

The many conflicts in our world show us that living out our call to love one another is not an easy thing to do. Our country is polarized by political divisions, by different ideas of freedom, by the role of religion in our society, and by other concerns. Many of our families experience strained relationships because of these divisions. Jesus’ message is simple, but not easy.

Our world is unfortunately torn by war these days. It makes me wonder if both sides of the warring factions in the Middle East see what both sides believe as Jews, Christians, and Muslims, that we are all made in the image of God? What does it mean to love our neighbor as ourself in our current context? Not an easy question, theoretically or in practice.

We pray for peace in the Middle East and in Ukraine and especially for all those whose lives are in danger from these hostilities, the people who are most at risk. We pray that a peaceful and just solution will quickly be found.

Pope Francis has made the following appeal: “I am very concerned, grieved. I pray and I am close to all those who are suffering, the hostages, the wounded, the victims and their families. I renew my appeal for spaces to be opened, for humanitarian aid to continue to arrive and for hostages to be freed. War, any war that there is in the world–I think also of the martyred Ukraine–is a defeat. War is always a defeat, it is a destruction of human fraternity.” Let us continue to pray for peace in our troubled world.