Faith Matters

(Peace)

As the impact of COVID-19 lessens and we return to the fullness of classroom learning, our community has been alarmed by the invasion of Ukraine and the uncertainty these global events bring into our lives. It is easy for us to feel powerless and anxious during these times, but as a community we are reminded that the inverse is true. Each of us are powerful, there is hope in spite of war and peace will overcome all evil. We are people of the resurrection and as we draw closer to Easter we know well that death and sin has been forever defeated. The invasion of Ukraine is horrible but not hopeless. The evil people do to others can be overcome by the love we offer each day.

The events of the last few weeks are shocking and tragic. These events are also human and completely avoidable. War is a choice people make. Our humanness fuelled by insecurity and mistrust so easily fuels our primal emotions. During Lent we seek to be more like God than human in nature. As we journey through the second week of Lent these negative human emotions are opposed to the weekly reading where we encounter Jesus’ transfiguration on the mountain. At this moment Jesus is literally transformed, his closest disciples see him in a new and profound way and become more aware of his divinity; yet they don’t truly understand. Jesus’ transfiguration offers us an insight into the presence of the Spirit that guides our hearts and actions – we are made in his image and likeness; we have been created to be like him!

At the College we seek to view the world as God sees it, as glimpsed by the disciples, filled with goodness, love and hope. Last week we began our response to the invasion of Ukraine as Erika Slevin (Justice Captain) describes,

“We as a college community we have been constantly thinking about the people of Ukraine over the last few weeks and the events that are taking place in their country.
On Wednesday 9th of March, fifty students gathered to share prayers for all those impacted by the invasion. We were fortunate to have Fr Raymond Bugeja - College Chaplain (St Thomas Drysdale), Fr Iurii Tychenok (Ukrainian Catholic Church - Bell Park), and Fr Darien J Sticklen - College Chaplain (Holy Trinity Parish), who spoke to us about the folly of war, the need for peace and core belief of human dignity, and led us in prayer. After we offered prayer the students completed a variety of different activities in solidarity and to advocate for those suffering at this time.”

Beyond this event, we have placed sunflowers and a letter from our Archbishop Peter Comensoli about the invasion in new reception area. Sunflowers are the national flower of Ukraine and the simple invitation to pray for Ukraine is powerful. Our decision to donate this year’s Caritas – Project Compassion funds directly to Caritas Ukraine is another small yet powerful symbol of hope and care for those in need. Flying the Ukrainian flag and the Peace flag side by side at the College honours the people of Ukraine and our belief in God’s desire for peace and inspires those who see the flags to consider how they can respond to this seemingly overwhelming event. The Ukrainian word for peace is мир (myr). We believe that peace or myr is impossible without God, our human hearts alone cannot rest or love enough for peace to occur without God’s presence. Our call for peace and dignity is guided by God but can only occur through us – everyone of us are blessed peacemakers and powerful beyond measure!

The most important aspect in the process of bringing peace into the world is our daily prayer. We need to call upon God to transform our hearts so that we can inspire transformation in others. In the Gospel Jesus commands us to love our neighbour. We need to pray for the strength and humility to do this as time and again he teaches that our ‘neighbour’ is the one who we find it hardest to love. Our challenge, if we are to truly see him transfigured and be transfigured ourselves is to love like him. To care for ‘the least of these’ and to love those who hate us is what challenges us the most when we observe the invasion of Ukraine. How can we love those who bring war? How can be merciful like the Father? How can forgiving a person in our life change the world?

Although challenging, to be authentic we must forgive and the only way to love like that is to trust in God. Prayer is the most simple way to develop our relationship with God. When we enter more deeply into our spiritual journey we find that the most profound prayer is the moment we spend with others. Times when we intentionally care for those in need, open our hearts to those we love or forgive those who don’t deserve our forgiveness. This is where we find peace, hope and God.

As we continue to pray for peace, advocate for the people of Ukraine and our belief in human dignity we can be inspired by our patron, St Ignatius of Loyola. As a young man he was guided by ego and pride. His selfishness led to his injury at Pamplona and his conversion during his recouperation and like Jesus, Ignatius was transformed. Today we can see Jesus as the disciples did on the mountain and as Ignatius did during his mystical encounters at Manresa but to do so we must “stay awake”.

During Lent we need to try and view the world around us as God does. We need to see what is happening in Ukraine and decide how we can bring мир (myr) into our lives and know that this will transform the others. We need to believe that prayer is truly powerful and that what we ask of God drives out the darkness in our world. We need to have faith in the resurrection and that death and human evil will be overcome again and that we have nothing to be anxious or concerned about. We rise with him and through him we bring new life and light into the world.

Inspired by the Gospel how will you respond to events that seem overwhelming and where will you witness the transfiguration today?

Yours in Christ,

Brendan Nicholls
Liturgy Coordinator