Friday of the
Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time
(Colossians 1:15-20; Luke 5:33-39)
Pope Francis has asked everyone in the world to fast and
pray tomorrow (Saturday) for peace. His
immediate motive is the civil war in Syria which continues to take a terrible toll
of life and welfare. The conflict pits
not only the government against a large segment of the population but also the
dominant Muslim faction against religious minorities such as Christians. Already there are over one and a half million
Syrian refugees outside the country with millions more displaced within.
It is only right to ask how Christ can be called the “fullness”
of life and “peace” as heard in the first reading today from the Letter to the
Colossians when such atrocities as the Syrian war occur with frequency. Of course, the world often chooses not to
follow Christ thus bringing on itself the dreadful consequences reported daily
in the media. More importantly, however,
Christ is present today working in myriad ways not least of which are good
people’s efforts which Pope Francis is pleading to become organized and
directed.
Christians traditionally fast by not eating between meals
and taking meat once a day. Such an effort
tomorrow together with concerted prayer – the Eucharist if possible – will change
us into more peaceful people. It will
also prompt the war-makers to take stock of their options in search of non-violent
means to realize their goals.
