Pope: Keep on Praying

Papa Benedetto again reiterated the importance of prayer for the situation in the Middle East. On 29 July when he was leaving from Les Combes, IT to go to Castel Gandolfo he had the following to say to reporters: The "principal instrument. . . . is prayer, which naturally is not only a cry to God, but also to man."

Last Sun, 23 July 2006, the Pope presided at a prayer service for peace in the Middle East. It was done in the form of a liturgy of the word. The Scripture read was Ephesians 2:13-18. He followed this with a homily, or as he called it, a meditation on the reading. In it he again stated what was the only true source of peace: "Christ is our peace. He has reconciled one another, Jews and pagans, uniting them in his Body. He has overcome the enmity with his Body, on the cross. With his death, he has overcome the enmity and has united us all in his peace. "

He goes on to point out that reality seems at odds with this fact. Then he says why this is so, because of: "the mystery of human freedom that says "no" to the peace of God." He goes on to point out that even though the is still war there have been "islands of peace" who create "oases" of this peace that point to the efficacy of Jesus' sacrifice. It is seen in the great saints of charity as he called them. "The martyrs exist who suffered with Christ; they have given this witness of peace, of love, which puts a limit to violence." "This is God's new way of conquering: He does not oppose violence with a stronger violence. He opposes violence precisely with the contrary: with love to the end, his cross. This is God's humble way of overcoming: With his love -- and only thus is it possible -- he puts a limit to violence. This is a way of conquering that seems very slow to us, but it is the true way of overcoming evil, of overcoming violence, and we must trust this divine way of overcoming."

He goes on to point out that the solution to the discord in the word is not found in a false ecuminism, 1 that downplays what is unique in Christianity: "many are tempted to say: 'For peace in the world, among religions, among cultures, it is better not to speak too much of what is specific to Christianity, that is, of Jesus, of the Church, of the sacraments. Let us be content with what can be more or less common .…' " Papa Benedetto's reply: "But it is not true. Precisely at this time, a time of great abuse of the name of God, we have need of the God who overcomes on the cross, who does not conquer with violence, but with his love. Precisely at this time we have need of the Face of Christ to know the true Face of God and so be able to take reconciliation and light to this world. For this reason, together with love, with the message of love, we must also take the testimony of this God, of God's victory, precisely through the nonviolence of his cross."

So, what are we to do? His final paragraph puts it plainly: "What we can do is to give witness of love, witness of faith and, above all, to raise a cry to God: We can pray! We are certain that our Father hears the cry of his children. In the Mass, as we prepare for holy Communion, to receive the Body of Christ that unites us, we pray with the Church: "Deliver us, Lord, from all evils, and grant us peace in our days." May this be our prayer at this time: "Deliver us from all evils and give us peace," not tomorrow, or the day after: Lord, give us peace today! Amen. "

Yes, Israel has a right to defend itself. Hezbollah & Hamas need to quite using inncocent civilians & children as sheilds to cower behind & then try & blaim Israel. They need to disarm & disavow their desire to wipe out Israel. Palastinians deserve a homeland. Yes, Secretary Rice & others need to bring the parties together to talk. I could go on & on, restating what I have said before. But, as Papa Benedetto said, unless the message of Jesus is proclaimed, unless Jesus is invited in to bring true peace, nothing will come of any of the efforts in the long run. There can be no true reconciliation, no true peace. & this true peace will only come about through prayer that invites Jesus in. Jesus will put an end to all the evil that is being brought about by man's sin, man's rebellion against God's will. I see no other solution.

The full meditation can be read at:

http://www.zenit.org/english/visualizza.phtml?sid=93115