peace

This Lent, let us pray that God sends His Holy Spirit upon the leaders of our world to create peace, to end conflict, injustice, violence, and war.

The reaction of many people coming to Church on the weekend after the assassination of Charlie Kirk, and of many more going to Rosaries, vigils, or other times of prayer in response to his death — feels a little like a movement of the Holy Spirit, a response to Divine Mercy, observes Chris Sparks.

As we mourn the tragedy in Minneapolis, we think also of our brethren, Catholic and Orthodox, who remain in harm’s way, as are our Muslim and Jewish brethren, in Gaza and Israel. With some, we are brethren in Christ; with others, we are brethren in Adam, and even by blood, notes Chris Sparks.

With Christian courage, in imitation of our great forebears like St. Francis of Assisi, we need to welcome the stranger, serving as radiant witnesses to the Gospel and doing the works of mercy for all. Prayer leads the way, Chris Sparks says.

Please pray for peace. If you can, pray the Rosary every day for peace in the world. A well-prayed Rosary can be done in 20 minutes. You can do so much good for so many souls with a daily Rosary for peace, even if you don’t see the direct fruits in your own life. 

It’s Holy Week. Good Friday looms. And we’re caught in the same maelstrom of history we’ve been in for some time now, with huge headlines every single day, it seems. It’s a good time to remember how Jesus shows us the purpose of our life as Christians — not in worldly pursuit of power, revenge, or wealth, but in self-sacrificing love for God and neighbor.

Yes, we walk through the valley of the shadow of death these days. But then again, as C.S. Lewis pointed out decades ago, we've always walked through the valley of the shadow of death, and faith in Jesus, Divine Mercy Incarnate, permits us to fear no evil.

Now is the time to deploy the grace of God into our world. Now is the time to take up the Divine Mercy Chaplet, venerate the Image of Divine Mercy, and ask God to “have mercy on us and on the whole world.” 

In the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Marian Fathers invite the faithful to unite in prayer and continue to pray the Rosary and the Divine Mercy Chaplet for peace and an end to war.