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Dan Lynch
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In his encyclical, The Gospel of Life,
Pope John Paul II said, (No 100)
a great prayer for life is urgently
needed, a prayer which will rise up throughout the world
. Jesus himself has
shown us by his own example that prayer and fasting are the first and most
effective weapons against the forces of evil (cf Mt 4:1-11). As he taught
his disciples, some demons cannot be driven out except in this way (cf Mk 9:23).
Let us therefore discover anew the humility and the courage to pray and
fast.
In the bible, the forces of evil were
destroyed by the prayer and fasting of Moses, Judith and Jesus. Now the Holy Father asks for our
prayers and fasting for peace. Prayer and fasting are common to all three of
the monotheistic religions of the world, Christians, Moslems and Jews. So
hopefully, the Pope's call will be appreciated on all sides and bring peace,
particularly in Afghanistan, the Middle East, Sudan and Nigeria.
The Holy Father said, The
national scene continues to be disturbed by worrying tensions. We cannot forget the intense
sufferings that have afflicted and still afflict so many of our brothers and
sisters in the world: thousands of innocent victims in the grave attacks of last
Sept. 11; innumerable people forced to abandon their homes to face the unknown
and, sometimes, a cruel death; women, the elderly and children exposed to the
risk of dying of cold and hunger.
In a situation made dramatic by the always-present threat of
terrorism, we feel the need to cry out to God. The more insurmountable the
difficulties and obscure the prospects, so much the more insistent must our
prayer be, to implore God for the gift of mutual understanding, harmony and
peace.
I ask Catholics to make next Dec. 14 a day of fasting,
during which to pray with fervor to God so that he will grant the world
a stable peace, based on justice, and make it possible to find adequate
solutions to the many conflicts that trouble the world. May what is
saved from fasting be placed at the disposal of the poor, especially
those who at present suffer the consequences of terrorism and war.
The Holy Father also announced an
invitation of the representatives of the religions of the world to come to
Assisi on Jan. 24 to pray for peace. In particular, he invited Muslims and
Christians to come together, to proclaim before the world that religion must
never be a reason for conflict, hatred and violence. He said, In this
historic moment, humanity needs to see gestures of peace and to hear words of
hope.
He entrusted this initiative to the maternal intercession of Mary Most
Holy, and asked her to sustain our efforts, and those of the whole of
humanity, in the way of peace. He prayed, We ask you, Queen of Peace, to help
us respond with the force of truth and love to the new and overwhelming
challenges of the present time. Help us also to surmount this difficult moment,
which disturbs the serenity of so many people, and to work unhesitatingly to
build, every day and in every environment, an authentic culture of peace.
The Vatican published guidelines on the fast and prayer for peace. It
stated, It is hard to see how terrorism will be tackled at its roots without a
conversion of hearts."
The Holy Father wishes the fast to become a cry of hearts to the Lord,
because without his help "it will not be possible to find a solution to the
tragic situation now facing the world."
The Vatican explained that the day of fasting involves all the
faithful freely: "children, who willingly make sacrifices to help other poor
children; young people, who are especially sensitive to the cause of justice and
peace; all adults, excluding the sick but including the elderly."
"Local tradition will suggest the best form of fasting to adopt:
eating only one meal, or taking only 'bread and water,' or waiting until sundown
before eating," the document states.
In addition, it "will be the responsibility of the Bishop to
determine a simple and effective way of placing whatever is saved through
fasting at the disposal of the poor, especially those who at present are
suffering the consequences of terrorism and war."
The Vatican
said that in preparing for the January prayer encounter in Assisi, bishops
should establish one or more pilgrimage sites for their faithful to visit
between Dec. 14 and Jan. 24. If possible, the local bishop should lead a
diocesan pilgrimage during that period. Thus, this pilgrimage of preparation
will extend over Christmas and Jan. 1, the World Day of Peace, which this year
has the following motto established by the Pope: "No Peace Without Justice,
No Justice Without Forgiveness."
The
Vatican also said that Jan. 23 would be celebrated as a day of vigil around the
world. Vigil services should be presided over in parishes and by the local
bishop, who would invite other Christian representatives.
The service ideally should be celebrated in the evening and involve a Liturgy of
the Word combining Scripture readings, recited prayers, moments of silence and
songs. The theme should be substantially that of the Jan. 18-25 Week of Prayer
for Christian Unity, "For with you is the fountain of life."
Dan Lynch is a retired Judge in the
State of Vermont. He is an author, producer of audios and videos and has
appeared on radio and television. He is also the Director of the apostolate of
The Missionary Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
Other
articles by Dan Lynch
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