Prayer and supplication for peace

“Respect for and development of human life require peace. Peace is not merely the absence of war, and it is not limited to maintaining a balance of powers between adversaries. Peace cannot be attained on earth without safeguarding the goods of persons, free communication among men, respect for the dignity of persons and peoples, and the assiduous practice of fraternity. Peace is “the tranquility of order.”98 Peace is the work of justice and the effect of charity” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2304)

Dear members of God’s family,

“May the peace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all” (2Cor. 13,13).

As we all know, lately the sounds of that peace that we have been coveting for such a long time, have begun to ring. They are echoes that generate joy and instill courage in all of us. For all that, we firstly need to the thank God our Lord and, subordinately, all those who, acting as peacemakers, are working hard for that purpose. However, along with the thanksgiving, a constant prayer and a continued supplication is needed. With that purpose in mind, we, your Catholic Bishops, would like to inform you that we have established as follows: from 8 July 2018 through 6 August, in all the parishes, churches, chapels, convents and monasteries of our four ecclesiastical jurisdictions, be raised special and intense prayers to the Lord. We therefore ask the Reverend parish priests and the superiors of all religious communities to see to it that the above directives are faithfully observed. Since immediately after the above prayer and supplication time, the traditional annual fifteen days of preparation to the solemnity of Mary’s Assumption will follow, the latter will obviously become a natural continuation to it.  

In order to achieve peace, one needs to put on the feelings of right intention, justice, forgiveness, flexibility and, above all, an authentic and true spirit of reconciling and mercy. This will be possible only if we base our endeavors on God himself. Hence therefore, to make sure that the peace process that has just started be fruitful and benefit the people of both countries, we recommend that, besides the above mentioned prayers and supplications, more moments of meditation on pace, justice and reconciliation be established especially on Saturdays and Sundays. It is important that such meditations be based on God’s word and the Church’s most relevant documents. We will conclude the entire period of prayer by reciting the imploration we find at the end of the Mass: “Oh King of peace, peaceful Jesus, give as your peace”, or a similar prayer, followed by the invocation:  “Queen of peace pray for us”.

May our Lord Jesus Christ, who proclaimed “blessed are the peacemakers, because they will be called children of God” (Mt. 5:9), make us all worthy and authentic peacemakers, and, before not too long, give us a truthful, enduring and constructive peace.

With best wishes and God’s blessings.

Abune Menghesteab Tesfamariam, MCCJ

Metropolitan Archbishop of Asmara, Eritrea  

Asmara, 3 July 2018