Repeatedly, since the February 24 Russian invasion, Pope Francis has asked all to pray for Ukraine. He appealed specifically for all to pray and fast for peace yesterday, March 2, Ash Wednesday.
“In these days we have been shocked by something tragic: war. And we do not stop praying, indeed, we beg God more intensely,” the 85-year old Pope Francis said.
His prayer for peace for Ukraine:
“Lord God of peace, hear our prayer!
We have tried so many times and over so many years to resolve our conflicts by our own powers and by the force of our arms.
How many moments of hostility/darkness have we experienced? How much blood has been shed? How many lives have been shattered? How many hopes have been buried?
But our efforts have been in vain. Now, Lord, come to our aid!
Grant us, teach us peace; guide our steps in the way of peace.
Open our eyes/our hearts and give us the courage to say: "Never again war!"; "With war everything is lost".
Instill in our hearts the courage to take concrete steps to achieve peace.
Lord, God of Abraham/of the Prophets, God of Love, you created us and call us to live as brothers and sisters. Give us the strength daily to be instruments of peace; enable us to see everyone who crosses our path as our brother or sister.
Make us sensitive to the plea of our citizens who entreat us to turn our weapons of war into implements of peace, our trepidation into confident trust, and our quarreling into forgiveness.
Keep alive within us the flame of hope, so that with patience/perseverance, we may opt for dialogue and reconciliation.
In this way may peace triumph at last, and may the words "division," "hatred," and "war"
be banished from the heart of every man and woman.
Lord, defuse the violence of our tongues and our hands. Renew our hearts and minds, so that the word which always brings us together will be "brother," and our way of life will always be that of: Shalom, Peace, Salaam! Amen.”
After the February 24th Russian invasion, more people all throughout the world now want to know more about Ukraine and why the country was invaded by Russia.
Dr. Tony Leachon shared the following highlights about Ukraine’s importance (see https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=506607904246065&id=100046905800054)
“With over 40 million people, Ukraine is the second-largest country by area in Europe.
UKRAINE is an important agricultural country and can meet the food needs of 600 million people.
It is 1st in Europe in terms of arable land area; 1st place in world exports of sunflower/sunflower oil; 2nd in world barley production, 4th in barley exports; 3rd largest producer, 4th largest world exporter of corn; 4th largest world producer of potatoes; 5th in world bee production (75,000 tons); 8th place in tworld wheat exports; 9th place in world production of chicken eggs.
UKRAINE is an important industrialized country:
1st in Europe in ammonia production; Europe's 2nd’s and the world’s 4th largest natural gas pipeline system; 3rd largest in Europe and 8th largest in the world in terms of installed capacity of nuclear power plants; 3rd place in Europe and 11th in the world in terms of rail network length (21,700 km); 3rd largest iron exporter in the world; 4th largest exporter of turbines for nuclear power plants in the world; 4th world's largest manufacturer of rocket launchers; 4th place in the world in titanium exports; 8th place in the world in exports of ores and concentrates; 9th place in the world in exports of defense industry products and 10th largest world steel producer.”
Prayers for peace in Ukraine and the whole world, please.
Dear Lord, #YESTOPEACE, #NOTOWAR, #NEVERAGAINTOANYWORLDWAR please!