HOLY SEE AND POPE FRANCIS JOIN U.N. CALL FOR CEASEFIRE IN UKRAINE
The Vatican today released a statement that noted “how Pope Francis, on Palm Sunday had asked for an Easter truce, in order to achieve peace.”
It stated further that, “the Holy See and the Holy Father join in the appeal that António Guterres, secretary general of the United Nations, along with His Beatitude Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, head of the Greek-Catholic Church in Ukraine, launched on April 19 for a truce in the occasion of the celebration of Easter according to the Julian calendar on April 24th.
“In the knowledge that nothing is impossible for God, they invoke the Lord King so that the population trapped in war zones is evacuated and peace will soon be restored, and they ask those who have the responsibility of the Nation to listen to the cry of peace of the people.” (Vatican photo)
At that time, Guterres said, “Easter is a season for renewal, resurrection and hope. It is a time for reflection on the meaning of suffering, sacrifice, death, and rebirth. It is meant to be a moment of unity.”
According to Vatican News, the U.N. chief said today, “I am calling for a four-day, Holy Week humanitarian pause, beginning on Holy Thursday and running through Easter Sunday, April 24, to allow for the opening of a series of humanitarian corridors. Humanitarian needs are dire. People do not have food, water supplies, to treat the sick, or simply to live day-to-day.
“For all these life-or-death reasons, I call on Russians and Ukrainians to silence the guns and forge a path to safety for so many at immediate risk.” The four-day Easter period should be a moment to unite around saving lives and furthering dialogue to end the suffering in Ukraine.
“Put the weapons down,” said Pope Francis on Palm Sunday. “Let an Easter truce start. But not to rearm and resume combat but a truce to reach peace through real negotiations open to some sacrifices for the good of the people.”
CARDINAL ARINZE: THANKING THE LORD MORNING AND EVENING
One of the books I re-discovered during Lent was a delight volume by Cardinal Francis Arinze, a gift of his when I invited him to dinner one night. The book is “Draw Near to Me, O Lord: Heartfelt Prayers for Everyday Life.”
This small volume has countless prayers for so many situations that arise in anyone’s life. But there are two occasions that occur for all of us, getting up in the morning and going to bed at night. How do we thank the Lord? Do we thank the Lord? Words should come fairly easily and I think you’ll find that in these two prayers from his book!
THANK GOD FOR A NEW DAY
Lord God, a new day dawns. It is a gift of Your creating hand. You are giving me this gift of another 24 hours to be at Your service and to be in solidarity with my neighbor.
I thank You for this providential design of Yours. May every thought, word, or deed of mine in this day be pleasing to You, be according to Your will and be my own yes to the unfolding of Your plan for me, for my dear ones, for the people for whom or with whom I work and indeed for all humanity.
Help me, Lord, to overcome my basic defects and weaknesses. May I show the hand of togetherness to every brother or sister with whom I am in contact today. At the end of this day, may I be able to look back with gratitude and joy and without regret. This I beg You, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
THANK GOD AT THE END OF THE DAY
Lord, the day You gave me has ended. The darkness of night descends as part of Your providential design.
I thank You for the opportunities you have given me today to live in your service and that of my neighbor. What I may have done well, I beg You to purify, elevate and accept through Christ, with Christ and in Christ. What I have not done well, I beg You to correct so that everything may finally turn out to Your greater glory, the good of my neighbor, and my own spiritual growth.
Night rest and sleep are Your gift. May I have the blessing of being refreshed by rest and sleep so that I may be better able to serve You. I am joyfully confident of Your love and protection.
I pray also for all the people who find rest and sleep difficult for those who are obliged to work long hours with a little time for rest, and for those who have turned the night into a time of restless activities that are not always according to Your will. Lord, curb the devil and all forces of evil that operate more at night so that we may be better disposed to serve You when a new day dawns. To You be honor and glory through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Joan's Rome 