Praying and fasting for Syria
Praying for Syria and the countries of the Middle East, Syriac Catholic Church, Ottawa Photo: LOR This past Friday, in the Gospel, we are presented with the scene where the scribes and Pharisees say to Jesus, "The disciples of John the Baptist fast often and offer prayers, and the disciples of the Pharisees do the same ; but yours eat and drink." Jesus answers them, "Can you make the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come, and when the bridegroom is taken away from them, then they will fast in those days." This text paved the way for pilgrims throughout the world to carry out the invitation of Pope Francis to pray and fast this day for peace in Syria and the countries of the Middle East. The last time a Pope called for a similar day of prayer and fasting was in 2003, when Pope John Paul II did the same before the Iraq war. The Vatican strongly opposed the US-led military actions in Iraq, and now, a decade later, Pope Fr...