Within the face of a vicious assault, the individuals of Ukraine are one -- coming collectively to withstand, defend, and stay hopeful, Cardinal Dolan writes.
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Simply by coincidence, a considerate buddy simply despatched me a group of music and track entitled “Wartime Recollections,” kindly noting that my late Dad and my just-deceased Mother had been a part of that “best technology,” and that Dad served the Navy throughout World Conflict II within the horror of the Pacific.
Positive sufficient, as I hearken to them, I can recall with crystal readability being a child and listening to my father and mom singing alongside, listening to those memorable tunes.
What stunned me is how all these songs, whereas written and recorded within the anguish, menace, separation, loss, shortages, wounds, and demise of these battle years, had been ripe with hope and confidence!
Poets, philosophers and artists have lengthy saluted the resilience of the human spirit as deep in our make-up, pointing to an innate belief within the Lord, who unfailingly sees us by means of.
We positive want this now, particularly with division and worries right here at dwelling, and tensions on the planet.
Ukraine stands out. Within the face of a vicious assault, the individuals of Ukraine are one, coming collectively to withstand, defend, and stay hopeful.
They’ve had, sadly, plenty of observe. Within the reign of terror throughout their oppression by Stalin, Jews and Christians in Ukraine had been brutally persecuted. The Ukrainian Catholic Church, for example, noticed 90% of their devoted clergy and nuns shot, or exiled to Siberia, whereas synagogues and church buildings had been confiscated or torched, and folks loyal to their religion had been starved and worn out.
But, when freedom got here in 1990, these brave Jews and Christians rebuilt, revived, and restored, such that Ukraine turned a classroom of democracy, spiritual freedom, training, and promotion of justice primarily based on biblical educating, a “gentle to the world.” A couple of years in the past, I used to be honored to take part within the dedication of the brand new Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral in Kyiv, which they so fittingly named the Cathedral of the Resurrection, reflecting their deep and abiding perception within the energy of religion.
Is it any marvel that Ukrainian leaders now, such because the Jewish President, Volodymyr Zelensky, and the Ukrainian Catholic Patriarch, Sviatoslav Shevchuk, each with targets on their chest, rally a individuals united in religion, values, household and a vibrant tradition? No marvel the world has come collectively to advocate, pray for, and assist a Ukraine underneath siege.
Nearer to dwelling we see the identical confidence and belief sooner or later as our nice Metropolis and nation slowly however certainly proceed their restoration from the Covid pandemic. It’s there as neighborhoods and communities in Louisiana, Texas, and Alabama recuperate and rebuild following tornadoes and different extreme storms. And, sadly, we have now far too typically witnessed such belief sooner or later as communities rally collectively following one other mindless taking pictures.
This resilience and hope occurs to be the message of those holy days noticed by Jews, Christians and Islam.
Our Jewish neighbors come collectively for Passover, recalling the Lord’s liberation of His individuals from slavery and oppression in Egypt, after which deliverance to Israel.
We Christians revere the paschal thriller of Jesus this Holy Week, because the Lord “passes over” from brutal, unjust struggling and demise, to resurrection and new life at Easter.
Our Islamic group observes Ramadan, with fasting and prayer, recalling Allah’s constancy and mercy.
These three spiritual observances happen on nature’s stage of Spring, with the darkness and bleakness of winter fading into the promise, gentle, and lifetime of Spring. Hope conquers worry! Gentle dispels darkness! Life will all the time conquer demise!
Looks as if the resilience and renewal of these wartime tunes from 1940-45, which I used to be listening to as I wrote this column, are usually not simply recollections, however everlasting!
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