Many will deny that praying for peace or for others is a fruitless endeavor per the call of Pope Francis for us to unite in prayer and fasting on this day for peace in our world. https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2023-10/the-pope-s-appeals-for-peace-in-a-world-torn-by-war.html
We are reminded in the Gospel of Matthew (chapter 26), Mark (chapter 14), Luke (chapter 22) that Jesus goes to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray before His arrest and suffering by bringing Peter and the two sons of Zebedee (James & John) with him to keep watch. All three could not stay awake as there are three moments where Jesus goes off in prayer only to come back and find his disciples asleep. His frustration shows with the remark toward Peter in that he could not keep watch for one hour and that the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak (Mt. 26:40-41). The story continues as Jesus chooses a way of peace and perfect love. Jesus is captured by soldiers, imprisoned, beaten, flogged, crowned with thorns and nailed to a cross as an act of the greatest sacrificial love that frees mankind from their sin. Jesus reminds us after one of his followers strikes the ear of the high priest’s servant’s ear that all who live by the sword, perish by the sword. He acknowledges that as God’s Son, 12 legions of angels could have come to his aid but the scripture from Isaiah 53 and the suffering servant prophecy must be fulfilled.
When we enter into prayer, we are casting aside our thoughts, doubts, fears and selfish desires and handing it over to God. When we add fasting to the mix, and limit our desire for food, we are truly ridding ourselves of that earthly desire which binds us all. By emptying ourself and giving everything to God allows a radical change to occur.
Perhaps we can add an act of kindness to a day of prayer and fasting where we express to our neighbor something as simple as a gesture such as a smile, or greeting? Perhaps we can add a more profound act of service to our day?
As St. Mother Teresa once remarked, “prayer in action is love, love in action is service.”
Let us heed the call of Jesus’s request to attempt to keep watch with Him for an hour. Let our fasting and prayers this day be a radical sign to the world that when Christians unite in prayer and fasting, goodness and peace can flourish.
StreetEvangelist 