CEASING WAR AND BESTOWING FREEDOM

That it may please thee to make wars to cease in all the world;
to give to all nations unity, peace, and concord; and to
bestow freedom upon all peoples, 
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

This week we entered the Season of Lent, a penitential season when the church calls adherents to self-examination and spiritual disciplines. This 40-day season began on Ash Wednesday, as over 400 students and faculty across campus, along with some parents, received ashes on their foreheads in the sign of the cross. When told to “remember that we are but dust, and to dust we shall return,” followers confront their own mortality, thereby calling to mind the precious gift of life.

This call to examination not only entails a personal relationship with God, but a deep look into the conflicts present in community, with our neighbors, and around the world. To do so, since 1544 CE the church has recited The Great Litanyduring Lent, naming a host of wrongdoings, seeking God’s forgiveness and mercy. Some of these prayers date back even further, all the way to the 6^th century. The petition above stands out as particularly relevant, as we confront the horrors of bloodshed in Ukraine. 

Of course, people of the faith begin to wonder where God is in the midst of conflict, especially war. During Thursday Morning Prayer this week, one of our leaders, Payson Brugge ’24, offered the reflection below to express where he has seen God at work in the world in Ukraine.

One way I have seen God in the world recently is in the courage and pride of the Ukrainian people as well as in the efforts and aid from supporting countries. I'm sure you all have either read, seen, or heard the news of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in recent days. One thing that has really stood out to me as I have followed the news and updates about this conflict is the willpower and bravery that the Ukrainian people and their president Volodymyr Zelenskyy have displayed. Even though Russian convoys and troops have been storming through Ukrainian neighborhoods and cities many Ukrainian people have chosen not to flee the country but stay and fight for their freedom and for their country's independence. When I saw these people make such tough decisions and risk their lives for their country it made me think of God and how he is with us through every journey and struggle. As Ukraine is a predominantly Orthodox nation I am sure many Ukrainians have been praying and looking to God for guidance and strength. It is evident to me that God has answered their prayers and bestowed upon them a strength that cannot be broken by oppression and the threat of invasion. It has also become clear to me that God has answered the Ukrainian prayers and others' prayers for the Ukrainians by bestowing them with global support from many different countries such as the U.S, the UK, France, Canada, and many others. Through all these efforts of support and displays of courage, God is doing his work and answering prayers to help protect the Ukrainian people and their country which resonates well with this portion of Psalm 31, which we recited together a few minutes ago:

Yes, good Lord, make wars to cease in all the world, bestowing freedom upon all peoples.