Send Us The Gift of Peace

Psalm 14-6-7 “He is the refuge of the poor and humble when evildoers are oppressing them. Oh, that the time of their rescue were already here, that God would come from Zion now to save his people. What gladness when the Lord has rescued Israel!

Psalm 15: 1-2 “Lord, who may go and find refuge and shelter in your tabernacle up on your holy hill? Anyone who leads a blameless life and is truly sincere.”

Psalm 16: 5, 7, 10-11 “The Lord himself is my inheritance, my prize. He is my food and drink, my highest joy! He guards all that is mine....I will bless the Lord who counsels me, he gives me wisdom in the night. He tells me what to do....For you will not leave me among the dead; you will not allow your beloved one to rot in the grave. You have let me experience the joys of life and the exquisite pleasures of our own eternal presence.”

This is the time for all Christians to come together to pray and to fast for those who are being persecuted and slaughtered in the war torn parts of our world. God truly is the refuge of the poor and humble when evildoers are oppressing them. We cry out to the Lord that the time of their rescue would come quickly.

Many are dying, for standing up for their faith. But we know that Our merciful God will not allow them to rot in the grave, and that they are brought into God's eternal presence forever and forever without end. God truly is their inheritance, their prize. He truly is their food and drink, their highest joy.

We, here in America, take for granted our freedom as Christians to live and to worship freely. As I enter my Parish Church, I never entertain thoughts that perhaps I will be killed for being a Christian, or for praying in public. However, our brothers and sisters across the world are being tortured and murdered daily for being a Christian.

Our beloved Pope Francis is deeply saddened and distressed at all the killing of the innocent people. He is boldly speaking out and asking all Christians to come together to pray for the end of the violence.“An appeal to all families: when you say your prayers, remember all those forced from their homes in Iraq.”

Let us take to heart the words of our beloved Pope Francis: “Jesus does not need an army to fight evil in the world; he uses the victorious weapons of love and humility... When man thinks only of himself, his own interests and places himself in the center, when he permits himself to be captivated by the idols of dominion and power, when he puts himself in God's place, then all relationships are broken and everything is ruined. Then the door opens to violence, indifference and conflict."

"How I wish that all men and women of good will would look to the cross, if only for a moment. There, we can see God's reply: violence is not answered with violence, death is not answered with the language of death. In the silence of the cross, the uproar of weapons ceases and the language of reconciliation, forgiveness, dialogue and peace is spoken.

Let us Prayer with Pope Francis: “Violence is not conquered by violence. Lord, send us the gift of peace.”--Pope Francis, August 9, 2014, via Twitter