God desires peace. We must desire it, too!
At the time I write this article, the tragic war between Ukraine and Russian continues. It is not simply a war between soldiers. Civilians in Ukraine have been targeted. The human cost is very high. Even the Russian people feel a great burden. They have little to say about the decisions and actions of President Putin and little ability to receive accurate news about their sons who are in the military. May peace come to that region soon! The rebuilding of Ukraine and the healing of its people will require a long process. God desires peace. We must desire it, too!
Without peace in Ukraine, other tragedies will worsen. The country of Yemen which is experiencing tremendous food shortages and hunger because of an on-going civil war, relies upon Ukraine for 30% of its wheat imports. Already, more than 17 million people in Yemen are experiencing food insecurity and 2.2 million children are acutely malnourished. Famine level hunger is expected to increase 5 times by the end of 2022 if nothing changes. Such war-caused hunger is horrific. God desires peace. We must desire it, too!
The economic crash in Afghanistan after the Taliban took over and sanctions that were placed upon the country by most of the world, and a multi-year drought, have left more than 23 million people in acute hunger crisis. By the end of 2022, 97% of the people of Afghanistan will live in poverty. The Taliban control makes humanitarian aid difficult, but the world must step forward for the sake of the millions of people at risk of further hunger crisis. What action of good will could be more effective than feeding the starving people of a nation with which we once were at war? God desires peace. We must desire it, too!
While the U.S. government is very focused upon conflicts in or with Ukraine, Russia, Yemen, and Afghanistan, and other problems like COVID, inflation, etc., it has not had any particular crisis with our southern neighbor, Mexico. Still, there is probably no other country in the world with greater impact upon the U.S. than Mexico. Of course, in our own parish and in our city and county, we experience a direct impact from Mexico and other South American nations. Mexico’s economic impact as in importer and exporter with the U.S. is bigger than any other country. Jobs, agriculture, manufacturing, etc. are all key aspects of the relationship between these two countries. While many of us get focused upon immigration and drug trade and cartel violence, the impact of the relationship is very important as well as deep, and wide, and long. We need peace and good relationships with our southern neighbors. God desires peace. We must desire it, too!
God forgives! Let us repent!
Peace, Fr. Andy