O God, You see that of ourselves we have no strength. By Your mighty power defend us from all adversities that may happen to the body and from all evil thoughts that may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
As I write these words, we have recently passed the three-year mark of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Initially long lines of people fled into Poland and Romania. Lately we have been reading of the thousands who have died on both sides. When I read these words, “We have no strength so God must defend us,” I think of the frightened faces and weeping children who fill my screen from this and other conflicts in Syria, Darfur, Israel, Lebanon, and Gaza. I was especially moved by the image of a man and young woman who were filmed running into the hospital with their injured toddler. The little boy did not survive.
Three years ago, men shepherded their children and often grandchildren to the border crossings from Ukraine into Poland. They turned around to defend their homeland. Some of the set to their jaws may well be part of their Slavic culture. But I think there is more.
It would be easy enough to say that I am helpless and so I do nothing. But this would not be true, it is an evil thought which afflicts the soul. The soldiers whose grim countenance fills the screen realize that they are entering into the teeth of a war machine. They face death. Of themselves, they cannot stop that. There are more adversities than just those which afflict the body, things like bullets and bombs. There are also those evil thoughts of cowardice and self-interest which assault and hurt the soul. We need to be protected from them too, perhaps even more than we need protection from the bombs and bullets. We pray for people in places of conflict. May God give peace to all.