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Seek God's Will in these
perilous times The world seems at the brink of war as I write these words on March 15, 2003. Possibilities of peace seem slim. Having been a victim of World War II, where many of my family didn't survive, I abhor war. They bring great suffering to people who really aren't part of the ruling body of any country. Ordinary people, like me, like my friends. Franciscans desire peace. Saint Francis strongly emphasized peace. He also understood that wars solve nothing. They come and go, and the same problems remain in different forms. So what helps? Prayer helps! It is inconceivable to me how any Christian, who begins his day when he arises with the intention of offering all of his day "In the Name of the Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit," can even think of making war on another nation. It is equally inconceivable how anyone who loves God, (by whatever name they know Him), can think of war. How can any national ruler contemplate the use of biological weapons which aren't confined to the immediate battle area, but have the potential to hurt many of these ordinary people? It does not make sense. If I were a leader, and if I would say, I know better than God (same thing as if I'm not listening to Him), then there is no longer a relationship, because it has been abused, then one could say that such people no longer have a conscience and don't care about anyone but themselves. That's very dangerous to the whole world. In some parts of the world ordinary people may express their opinions to those in authority, but most of the time, that has very little influence on the outcome. The demonstrations held recently in major American cities are an expression of the freedom we have to make our opinion and views known. Now let us all go one step further... tell God about our views and pray that He'll protect us as the times of peril continue to unfold. Many people have no conception of God. They are completely indifferent toward God. Many Christians do not go to church, so in their adult life there is no opportunity for them to hear the Word of God, to be instructed that God loves us beyond all imagination and that if they'd only ask, much grace would come their way. There are many Catholics who come to Church but who do so because missing Mass on Sunday is a sin. Catholics should come to Mass with enthusiasm, because they want to. Attending Holy Mass is part of the will; it is not nor should it be a ritual performed out of fear of punishment. People's attitudes in Church are, at times, deplorable. They dress sloppily, they wear short shorts, very short skirts, in truth, they dress as if they were going to a movie rather than to church. They come to Holy Communion with their hands in their pockets and they do not answer when the Priest or Minister says "The Body of Christ," with their Amen. Years ago, someone who was offered Holy Communion while they were hospitalized, answered "I don't care." Imagine Jesus standing next to you, and He'd ask, can we eat, let us break bread together, and you say "I don't care!" That's a very insulting answer. Are we even aware what an honor it is to receive Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament of the Altar, or have we become so unmoved that it doesn't mean anything anymore? Let all church-going people, no matter what religion they follow, be attentive to the Word of God and PRAY! Pray for Peace. Pray that fewer ordinary people will get hurt. Pray that government leaders will think twice before using biological agents, and then desist in the name of God because using weapons that hurt many innocent people is gruesome. In short, let us continue to seek God in these perilous times, and let us be reminded of the Prayer of Saint Francis: Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace, T
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