For Ukraine…and Syria…and Egypt…and Africa…and Venezuela…
You pour Your holy oil into the stars, O Holy Spirit,
and out of senseless conflagrations
You make vigil lamps before the Glory of Heaven.
Pour Yourself into my soul also,
and out of a passionate conflagration
make a vigil lamp before the heavens.
St. Nikolai Velimirovich, Prayers by the Lake. 2nd Edition. Prayer XX
(I don’t pretend to understand all the dynamics here, but on a 1993 visit, Kiev entered my heart…she has known such violence–in WWII, the slaughter of Jews, and many others at Babi Yar, and untold other wars and famine and injustice over the ages…..we can only pray–and offer their suffering as vigil lamps before the Glory of Heaven.)
Yes, the mystery of evil and suffering and a loving God. When I was young, I tried to make sense of it; now, I try to live with it and hope my feeble prayer might be a soothing balm, only a drop of it…
God is Love! What can we do about that?
Janet
In 2008 Dave and I were in Gori, Georgia and a few short years later Russian troops filled the city. In 2010, I was in Ukraine and now Russian troops tromp through the streets. Eventually, Ukraine will be as Georgia…the West will have forgotten as the citizens struggle on. Putin, using Russia, feels the unholy desire to dominate what formerly belonged to Mother Russia and he’ll do it with any means at his disposal. Power greed can be worse than money greed.