We can all offer prayers for peace

by Letters Editor · October 9, 2014

Patriach H Fouad Twal of Jerusalem speaks of the three P’s: prayer, pilgrimage and projects (The Southern Cross, July 30). We still believe in the power of prayer, the most important P, he said.

Saint Augustine and Saint Monica

Henri Nouwen wrote (1997): We must find not some but all of our strength, hope, courage and confidence in God.

Francis Correia, Jesuit Institute of SA, tells of Archbishop Tutu who, when asked what people could do to help, replied: Have you tried praying?

Everyone is very concerned about the various Islamic terrorist groups. However, Pope Francis writes that our respect for the true followers of Islam should lead us to avoid hateful generalisations.

J Rebelo adds: It is not possible to judge an entire faith by the acts of a few or even many of its believers our own religion’s past is full of deadly wars…and violence promoters are still among us.

We need God’s help to observe his commandments love one another (John 13:34) and love your enemy (Luke 6:35).

Worrying about the overseas conflicts, we tend to forget that Africans have also fought since time immemorial social traditions often limit ubuntu to one’s own family, clan or ethnic group. There was no culture of equal human rights, and leaders were (and still are) not held accountable.

When St Augustine was born in North Africa in 354, it was a province of Rome, and he died there as a bishop in 430, while Vandal barbarians from Europe slew his parishioners.

Two centuries later, North Africa became part of the great Muslim empire, which the terrorists are now trying to re-establish.

The African Union was warned recently in Nairobi of the urgent need for an African response to terrorism. In addition, we have crime, corruption, poverty, refugee problems, Aids, Ebola…

Few of us can go on pilgrimages, so while we pray about overseas problems, let us join in a project, Pray for Africa, not just for peace and justice but with faith hope and love for God and neighbours in our land.