Mgr Silvio Baez, auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Managua, invited the congregation to pray for Ukraine, a country that has suffered a Russian military invasion since the end of February; and by political prisoners “tortured and subjected to illegal trials.”
In the homily this Sunday, March 13, at the Santa Ágatha church, in Miami, United States, the bishop lamented that the violence of “death regimes” is being imposed in the world, but urged believers not to get used to to “see evil and injustice as something normal” and be able to face reality with the confidence that God does not abandon.
Monsignor Báez asked “are we praying for peace in Ukraine? Has the war in Ukraine become a cause for prayer or is it just news that saddens and horrifies us?
In the midst of political trials in Nicaragua, he continued to question whether “are we suffering in prayer the pain of our political prisonerscruelly tortured and subjected to illegal trials?».
“Are present in our prayer the pain and anguish, the tears of the victims and the uncertainty of the exiles? All of this should be part of our prayer. Praying is not pretending that God does everything, but putting the world in his hands and under his loving gaze », he explained.
«The irrationality, injustice and violence of death regimes are imposed on the world, we see the victims suffer, and it seems all efforts to bring about peaceful changes become futile. Terrible moments of darkness, “said the religious leader, adding that, at this time, we need to see life and history from another perspective.
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Based on today’s gospel on the Transfiguration of the Lord, Bishop Báez said that, like the disciples, we too need to climb the mountain. “Get distance above the swamps of failure, mediocrity and hopelessness… the personal or ideological interests that make us rigid, indifferent or pessimistic.” And understand that «the last word in history is not pain, injustice, evil and death».
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Once a new vision of life has been acquired, one must continue with the daily work, the difficulties and the effort to build a more just and humane world, “open our eyes to human pain, feel in our hearts the suffering and hopes of humanity and sow sparkles of light everywhere and in all hearts,” he said.
Monsignor Báez stressed that listening to Jesus “will remind us that God is a good Father whom we can trust, that others are not adversaries to be silenced, humiliated or annihilated, but brothers to be respected and lovedand that life is gained only by losing it for love».
