Homily: 22nd Week of Ordinary Time - Saturday - Day of Prayer and Fasting

In his Angelus address last Sunday, September 1, Pope Francis made an urgent appeal concerning the continuing civil war in Syria. He said,”

There are so many conflicts in this world which cause me great suffering and worry, but in these days my heart is deeply wounded in particular by what is happening in Syria and anguished by the dramatic developments which are looming. I appeal strongly for peace, an appeal which arises from the deep within me. How much suffering, how much devastation, how much pain has the use of arms carried in its wake in that martyred country, especially among civilians and the unarmed! I think of many children [who] will not see the light of the future! With utmost firmness I condemn the use of chemical weapons: I tell you that those terrible images from recent days are burned into my mind and heart. There is a judgment of God and of history upon our actions which are inescapable!

To this end, brothers and sisters, I have decided to proclaim for the whole Church on 7 September next, the vigil of the birth of Mary, Queen of Peace, a day of fasting and prayer for peace in Syria, the Middle East, and throughout the world, and I also invite each person, including our fellow Christians, followers of other religions and all men of good will, to participate, in whatever way they can, in this initiative.

Bishop Lennon is asking all of the faithful to dedicate a day to fast and pray during the week of September 9-13, 2013.  

Why fasting and prayer?  Fasting and prayer bring about a transformation in our own hearts.  It’s not that somehow that God is impressed by the fact that we are hungry, but fasting and prayer reminds us that we depend on God.  And as people of faith and hope  we also need to pray fervently and directly for a transformation of the hearts of others—whether it’s members of the Syrian government and armed and rebel forces or the member s of our own government—fasting and prayer are powerful. 

"Peace," Pope Francis declared, "is a precious gift, which must be promoted and protected."

Let us ask Mary to help us to respond to violence, to conflict and to war, with the power of dialogue, reconciliation and love. She is our mother: may she help us to find peace; all of us are her children! Help us, Mary, to overcome this most difficult moment and to dedicate ourselves each day to building in every situation an authentic culture of encounter and peace. Mary, Queen of Peace, pray for us!