Editor’s Note: Prayers for Discernment

The recent terrorist attacks in Paris this past weekend have heightened the awareness of all Christians to the fact that we are living at a pivotal time in history. Many are recalling other events in history that thrust humanity in an ordained direction. Some are recalling November 27, 1095 when Pope Urban II began the Crusades with the declaration, “Deus vult!” Others are recalling the world’s response to the events of the 1930s and 1940s surrounding WWII, and the persecution of Jews and other “undesirables”, as Hitler referred to them. While many are just struggling to understand the magnitude of hatred being launched globally against Christians and Jews.

Moments after the news of the tragedy reached the world, Vatican spokesman Fr. Federico Lombardi, SJ issued this statement:

“At the Vatican we are following the terrible news from Paris. We are shocked by this new manifestation of maddening terrorist violence and hatred which we condemn in the most radical way, together with the pope and all those who love peace. We pray for the victims and the wounded, and for all the French people. This is an attack on the peace of all mankind which requires a decisive and supportive response by all of us to counter the spread of homicidal hatred in all of its forms.”

This powerful response from the Holy Father quickly prompted social media commentary and news outlet pundits to speculate on the meaning behind this statement.

Is the Vatican subtly offering their approval for a Just War?

At Catholic Stand, we don’t deal in speculation. We will, however, continue to offer our readers insightful essays that educate, motivate, inspire and unify the faithful living the Truth the Church teaches. Yet, just as when our Church forefathers stood at the threshold of history on the eve of the Crusades 920 years ago, we pray for our world leaders that the Holy Spirit will help them to discern the “decisive and supportive response that is required to counter the hatred” by those whose sole purpose is to annihilate the entire Christian and Jewish populations from the face of the earth.

In praying for discernment, it is also important to recognize that Christ calls us to pray for the persecutors, as well as the persecuted. It is a difficult teaching to respect and honor, but one that truly defines us as Christians. Jesus tells us in Matthew 5:44 -45:

“But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.. . .”

Let us unite as Christians and pray for discernment and the fortitude necessary to understand the course that lays ahead.

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