The Face of Mercy / Daniel Conway

Pope Francis calls on the Queen of Heaven to restore peace

(En Espanol)

“Every war leaves our world worse than it was before. War is a failure of politics and of humanity, a shameful capitulation, a stinging defeat before the forces of evil” (Pope Francis, “Fratelli Tutti,” #261).

On Friday, March 25, the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord, bishops, priests and lay people throughout the world joined Pope Francis in praying the following words: “Therefore, Mother of God and our Mother, to your Immaculate Heart we solemnly entrust and consecrate ourselves, the Church and all humanity, especially Russia and Ukraine.”

This act of consecration was a solemn moment of prayer in response to what the pope calls “the madness of war.” But it was also an impassioned plea against the violence and cruelty that humanity has visited upon itself and the world we inhabit (“our common home”) since the earliest days of human history.

Since the beginning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Pope Francis has spoken out forcefully not only against this war, but also against wars in Syria, Ethiopia and other regions of the world. Pointing out that “we have strayed from that path of peace,” the Holy Father says that we “have forgotten the lesson learned from the tragedies of the last century, the sacrifice of the millions who fell in two world wars,” and we “have betrayed peoples’ dreams of peace and the hopes of the young. We grew sick with greed, we thought only of our own nations and their interests, we grew indifferent and caught up in our selfish needs and concerns.”

While it’s easy to condemn the actions of one man, or one nation, the pope argues that the greed and indifference of many nations and peoples are at the heart of the problem. “We chose to ignore God, to be satisfied with our illusions, to grow arrogant and aggressive, to suppress innocent lives and to stockpile weapons,” the pope argues in the act of consecration. In a clear allusion to the sins of our first parents and their sons Cain and Abel, the pope says, “We stopped being our neighbor’s keepers and stewards of our common home. We have ravaged the garden of the Earth with war, and by our sins we have broken the heart of our heavenly Father, who desires us to be brothers and sisters.”

The shame we feel because of selfishness, and indifference to the needs of others, prompts us to cry out for forgiveness and to turn to Mary, the Mother of God and our mother. That’s why Pope Francis invites us to pray with him:

“Holy Mother, amid the misery of our sinfulness, amid our struggles and weaknesses, amid the mystery of iniquity that is evil and war, you remind us that God never abandons us, but continues to look upon us with love, ever ready to forgive us and raise us up to new life.”

Mary Immaculate is our refuge in times of trouble, including pandemics, natural disasters, economic and political turmoil, and the madness of war. She is the Queen of Peace who intercedes for all her children, reminding us that we can only find true and lasting peace in the person of her Divine Son.

“We now turn to you and knock at the door of your heart,” the pope asks us to pray. “We are your beloved children. In every age you make yourself known to us, calling us to conversion.”

Mary accompanies us on our life’s journey. She is present in all our moments of difficulty. That’s why we pray, “At this dark hour, help us and grant us your comfort. Say to us once more: Am I not here, I who am your Mother?” Mary is able to untie the knots of our hearts and of our times. In her, we place a loving child’s trust—confident that, especially in moments of trial, she will not be deaf to our cries for help and will come to our aid.

Mary knew the bitter agony of her Son’s crucifixion. She experienced the profound anguish and disappointment of the world’s rejection of Jesus, and she watches with sorrow as we repeat the foolish mistakes of past generations, continuing to rely on military solutions to problems that can only be resolved by peaceful, nonviolent means.

With Pope Francis, we must fall to our knees and pray: Holy Mary, Queen of Peace, through your intercession, may God’s mercy be poured out on the Earth and the gentle rhythm of peace return to mark our days. Amen.
 

(Daniel Conway is a member of The Criterion’s editorial committee.) †