Pope Leo XIV invited all the faithful to dedicate Friday, August 22, to fasting and prayer, “begging the Lord to grant us peace and justice and to dry the tears of those who suffer because of ongoing conflicts.” His call is not merely a pious gesture. It is a cry from the heart of the Church, urging us to awaken from indifference and rediscover our Christian duty to intercede for a wounded world.
Even in moments of supposed rest—holidays, family gatherings, leisure—our minds are not at peace. The horrors of war and violence follow us. Yet this unrest, as St. Augustine reminds us—“You have made us for yourself, Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you”—is not a weakness, but a sign of our humanity. Restlessness is the pulse of the Spirit within us, drawing us toward justice, compassion, and peace.
Our restlessness today must not be wasted. From Gaza to Israel, Ukraine to Russia, Sudan to Haiti, innocent cries reach heaven. Prayer must be a living, urgent force—denouncing war merchants and governments arming conflicts as “defence.” Genuine prayer inspires courage—to speak, act, and hope amidst despair.
Pope Leo XIV has reminded us that “peace is not a spiritual utopia: it is a humble path that intertwines patience and courage, listening and action. And today, more than ever, it demands our vigilant and generative presence.” The Christian vocation is not passivity but vigilant presence, a readiness to resist the “banality of evil” that normalises injustice and mocks human dignity.
The scriptures give us luminous examples. Judith, faced with the destruction of her people, did not remain passive. She prayed, listened, and acted. Esther, though she could have saved herself, chose instead to risk everything so that her people might live. Their stories remind us that prayer is not escape but engagement; it is the source of strength to face what seems impossible and transform it into life.
We also turn to Mary, Queen of Peace, whose Magnificat proclaims that God “has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly.” Her song reminds us that the history of salvation is woven through the faith of the humble, the tears of the suffering, and the hope of those who trust in God’s power to do what seems impossible.
Today, the Church calls us to join our prayers with Mary, Judith, and Esther. To fast is to strip ourselves of illusions and comfort; to pray is to surrender our restlessness to God and allow Him to make us instruments of peace. If we remain silent, our restlessness will curdle into bitterness and shame, and we will share responsibility for the violence we tolerated.
Now is the time to pray for peace—earnestly, urgently, and together—so that our restless hearts may find their true rest in God, and our world may rediscover the path of justice and peace. jose CMF
