Unexpected blue text indicate clickable linksOn Wednesday an email came to my wife, Marion, from Christian World Service (CWS). It’s a church related charity, which collects and provides help for people in need – similar to groups such as Tear Fund or World Vision, Invitation
Similar callsAt the end of a general audience in late February Pope Francis asked all Catholics to fast and pray intensely for Ukraine on Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. Lent commemorates the forty days which Jesus is said to have spent in the desert fasting and praying. That Ash Wednesday date, 2 March, has passed now but I noticed that other Christian leaders such as the British Anglican archbishops of Canterbury and York took up the same call, as did groups like the American National Association of Evangelicals, Fasting is a widespread and ancient religous tradition. In Christian communities it is frequently associated with the season of Lent, finishing Easter Sunday. Historically, fasting has often been called for at times of intense trouble such as war. Now we find intense trouble and Lent coinciding. Two reasons to fast have come together. Invitation accepted
PrayerFasting last Friday also prompted me to to pray for Ukranian people. Having a tiny insight is one thing. Praying is another. Insight is good but it is largely intellectual knowledge. Praying for somone involves more personal empathy. Last Friday each time I felt hungry I was reminded to pray. Imagination is one of the best aids to prayer and in these days of many pictures and videos the imagination has pertinent source to feed on. I think the top picture above, taken at the Polish border, is a father hugging goodbye to his children as his distressed wife looks on. He has his belongings in a shoulder satchel and he's going back into his own country, probably to fight. In the other picture there is no father; just a mother torn with anxiety trying to be a comfort. Prayer floods from pictures like these. TodayToday, Friday 25 March, Marion and I are fasting again. For me, as last week, not eating food prompts both feelings of identity and prayer. I've just watched two YouTube videos from the war. One is about Russian soldiers struggling to take a town. One is about Ukranian soldiers struggling to defend a town. Prayer floods from videos like these. To readersThank you for reading this post. I don't know where you are but wherever you are, if by next Friday a peace settlement has not been reached, perhaps you'd like to join the fast. □ John McInnes Friday 25 March 2022 Photo credits: 1st photo: DKH_border-Poland-Ukraine009.jpg Frank Schultze 2nd photo: ACTukrainavann102Harvard BjellandNCA.jpg from CWS, used with permission ##########
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