The invasion of Ukraine by Russia is a reminder that peace on earth is fragile. Only God can provide peace. As I am writing this column (Tuesday March 1st), the Russian armed forces continue to advance toward the capital Kiev while peace talks between Ukrainian and Russian delegations entered a second day. Pope Francis has invited all of us to PRAY FOR PEACE. Let us do so throughout this LENTEN JOURNEY of 40 days as we climb together the Mountain leading us to the HOLY WEEK and EASTER: the JOY of the RESURRECTION!

Last Saturday morning, I chose the votive Mass of "MARY QUEEN OF PEACE", and I invited all parishioners to pray for Peace in Ukraine through the intercession of Mary Queen of Peace. The title of Mary Queen of Peace was added to the Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary (also known as the Litany of Loreto) by Pope Benedict XV in 1917 when the FIRST WORLD WAR was raging. Mary has 48 titles in this Litany (including Mary Help of Christians). The title Queen of Peace is the last one, the more recent one. Mary is the powerful QUEEN MOTHER in Heaven. She is the Mother of each one of us and she wants us to be at Peace. She is our most powerful intercessor to her Son Jesus, the PRINCE OF PEACE.

Why should we pray for Peace?

God is in charge of the entire world. HE does not want any more large-scale war. He does not want any more bloodshed. HE sent HIS only Son to bring Peace on earth, to redeem us by his birth as man and by his blood on the Cross. By dying for all our sins, Jesus Christ conquers death once for all. By rising from the dead, Jesus gives us eternal life. This is the PASCHAL Mystery we celebrate at every Mass.

However, while creating us in HIS own image, God gave us FREE WILL. This free will gives us the Power to choose between Good and Evil, between Love and Hatred, between PEACE and WAR. This is why the battle between Good and Evil will continue until the end of time when the Devil will be totally destroyed once for all. This is the final Victory of God.

The first choice of Adam and Eve was to listen to the lies of the DEVIL and DISOBEY GOD. This first Fall to Temptation changed the entire world. The battle between Good and Evil continues to rage as it did in in the middle of the First World War when my two grandfathers were fighting the Germans at the "bloody" battle of VERDUN, the battle of "trenches" that lasted nearly one year with over 300,000 deaths. My two grandfathers survived but I cannot imagine the suffering of their entire families (separated during four years of war). What a heavy cross to be carried by young mothers and their infant children, uncertain whether they will ever see again their husbands and fathers.

This weekend's GOSPEL (Luke 4:1-13) is well chosen as we enter LENT. It is all about TEMPTATIONS. Jesus led by the Holy Spirit spends 40 days fasting in the desert before being tempted by the DEVIL. He is tempted three times. We all face the same temptations of PRIDE, POWER and PLEASURE. Unlike JESUS, we can fall easily to 

Temptations. This is our weak human nature. But God is loving and merciful. He never abandons us. He gives us the great Sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist, the Body and Blood of His Son, that gives us eternal life.

We should PRAY FOR PEACE, for RECONCILIATION. Jesus tells us in a very powerful way: "BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS FOR THEY WILL BE CALLED CHILDREN OF GOD" (Sermon on the Mount Matthew 5:9). Do we desire to follow Jesus and be a peacemaker or do we desire to create divisions and unending battles?

Jesus also reminds us that "if when bringing our gift to the ALTAR, you remember you are not RECONCILED with your brother, first be RECONCILED with your brother and only then come and offer your gift" (Matthew 5:23-24). This Lent let us first focus on the GIFT OF RECONCILIATION: let us all go to confession on MONDAY MARCH 7th at 7pm. Let us reconcile with God and our brothers and sisters who have hurt us. BE MERCIFUL as the FATHER IS says Jesus. Let us ask Jesus to give us the GIFT OF FORGIVING! Not only of forgiving others, but also forgiving ourselves! If there is a grave sin we have never confessed because we are so ashamed or do not believe that we could be forgiven, GO AND CONFESS THAT SIN on March 7th at 7pm. Prepare your confession well by a thorough examination of conscience.

If you have not signed up for the GIFT OF ADORATION beginning 7 PM this Thursday MARCH 3 or 10 AM this Saturday MARCH 5, you can still show up and you will be most welcome. Come to deepen your prayer life. Come to get closer to God this Lent. Remember the EUCHARISTIC TRIANGLE OF PEACE, where the HOLY SPIRIT is at the center and can transform your life and that of the world. PRAY FOR PEACE:


 

When we pray for PEACE IN UKRAINE this LENT, let us also PRAY FOR PEACE IN OUR OWN HEARTS, PEACE IN OUR FAMILIES, PEACE IN OUR CHURCH, PEACE IN OUR COUNTRY, PEACE IN THE ENTIRE WORLD!

COME HOLY SPIRIT! GIVE US PEACE!

One in Christ,


Fr. Alain