Tomorrow all Catholics are invited to join Pope Francis for a Day of Prayer and Fasting for Peace particularly in Syria.
The vigil that the Pope will lead at St Peter’s Square can also be followed on several radio stations – RTK and Radju Maria – as well as television stations. Pope Francis himself will be in St Peter's Square tomorrow from 7pm to midnight, praying and fasting with the faithful of Rome and of the whole world, for peace in Syria and in the whole world.
Pope Francis announced this dramatic public action during last Sunday’s Angelus message. The tragedy that has been unfolding for these last two years of so was exacerbated by the recent use of chemical weapons. "Those terrible images from recent days are burned into my mind and heart," he told his audience last Sunday.
Prayer and fasting are part of the 2,000 years of Catholic ascetical tradition as well as from the tradition of all other religions. Prayer and fasting are an affirmation of the belief in the benign supremacy of God. They are a direct affront to the philosophical position that men and women are the measure of all things. No, we are not.
During prayer we affirm the need of His guidance, enlightenment and help. Left on our own we have created mess after mess. His fatherly love is a must. When we fast we are declaring to ourselves that material goods alone – independently of their importance – are not enough. We can live without food for short periods of time but we cannot live without God even for a few minutes.
Fasting should also be a sign of our determination to show solidarity towards others.
St John Chrysostom explains this succinctly and clearly:
"Fasting is a medicine. But like all medicines, though it be very profitable to the person who knows how to use it, it frequently becomes useless (and even harmful) in the hands of him who is unskilful in its use. For the honour of fasting consists not in abstinence from food, but in withdrawing from sinful practices, since he who limits his fasting only to abstinence from meats is one who especially disparages fasting. Do you fast? Give me proof of it by your works. If you see a poor man, take pity on him. If you see an enemy, be reconciled with him. If you see a friend gaining honour, do not be jealous of him. And let not only the mouth fast, but also the eye and the ear and the feet and the hands and all members of your bodies."
Therefore, our fasting and prayers are not inane actions. They are powerful weapons.
Do join Pope Francis and the rest of the Church tomorrow for the same of the people of Syria and for our own sakes and that of future generations.