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Today, March 25, 2022, the consecration to Mary of Ukraine and Russia will be carried out under the direction of Pope Francis. All Catholic bishops in the world are asked to participate in this rite in their respective dioceses.

This is exciting. Many Catholics see today's consecration to Mary as a great sign of hope.

Marian dedications since 1982

Pope Francis had already consecrated Russia to Mary in 2013, but shortly afterwards Russia took back Crimea. Pope John Paul II also consecrated the Russian peoples to Mary twice, in 1982 and 1984. Many Catholics therefore see the fall of the Wall (1989) and the collapse of the Soviet Union (1991) as a positive consequence of this consecration. Because at that time the communist state atheism was defeated. Eventually it was replaced by the resurgent influence of the Russian Orthodox Church and a capitalist economic system.

War of the Orthodox Churches?

However, the separation of some of the Ukrainian Orthodox Churches from the Moscow Patriarchate led to tensions between the Orthodox Church leaderships in Constantinople/Istanbul and Moscow. This has so far prevented the great Christian ecumenism that Rome has been dreaming of for a long time. Because Moscow is reluctant.

Tug of War between Moscow and the West

The situation is similar on the world political stage: while many former Eastern Bloc countries and some former Soviet states have joined Western democracies, Moscow is reluctant to do so here, too. The internationally unrecognized states of Abkhazia, South Ossetia, Transnistria, the annexation of Crimea and the Ukraine war bear witness to this.

King of the North on his way to world domination

However, biblical prophecy proclaims a victorious march of the western alliance under the symbol of the little horn in Daniel 7, the king of the north in Daniel 11 and the two beasts in Revelation 13. Here a global world domination is prophesied, with economic and legal power on every single human being earth (Revelation 13,15:17-XNUMX). Against the background of this prophecy, the consecration to Mary acts like a renewed declaration of intent in the next step towards this goal. As a date, Pope Francis has chosen the day on which the Feast of the Annunciation of the Lord is celebrated by the Catholic, Anglican and Orthodox Churches and even by some Evangelical Churches (nine months before Christmas). Here the day is commemorated when the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary.

war rhetoric

On March 13, the Pope called for an end to the massacre in Ukraine. On March 16, he prayed to God to restrain the hand of Cain. At the same time, he spoke out against the production and purchase of weapons. On March 17, Joe Biden outright called Vladimir Putin a murderous dictator and a consummate gangster. None of us want to imagine how the war will continue. How will it end? How many more people have to die?

Difficult moral questions

However, we should all ask ourselves the moral questions that every war raises: What exactly is it that leads to war? Do we also find this poisonous root in our own thoughts and actions? By what right do we condemn our enemies? Where is the actual solution?

As a rule, it is the desire for self-defence or defense of one's own interests. It makes you willing to think, say, or do things that you actually consider reprehensible. Things that go against the golden rule of the Sermon on the Mount. That golden rule is, "As you would have people do to you, do unto them also." (Luke 6,31:XNUMX) It is a sad fact that most people are willing to hurt others when they feel like they are hurting have to avert a worse evil. This goes so far that in extreme cases even killing becomes legitimate.

The higher the position and the greater the responsibility, the "dirtier" the work seems to get. US President Barack Obama approved loudly during his 2009-2016 term www.thebureauinvestigates.com a total of almost 1900 drone attacks in Somalia, Yemen, Pakistan and Afghanistan, which according to various reports claimed between 3829 and 7966 lives. That was ten times as many attacks as under President George W. Bush, who, however, had brought himself into disrepute through the Guantanamo prison. Barack Obama tried in vain to close it, but reduced the number of prisoners from 245 to 41.

Better one than all?

The principle that the high priest Caiaphas already expressed seems to move many rulers on this planet: »Better that one person should die for the people than that the whole people perish.« (John 11,50:XNUMX) With this principle human lives are weighed against each other and crimes justified with a higher purpose. The end justifies the means. The fact that Caiaphas unintentionally uttered an important prophecy does not change the reprehensibility of his argument.

self-examination

In situations where we have power over those weaker than us, we can find ourselves thinking in a similar way. With more or less good intentions, children are often hurt in some way mentally by their parents, women by their husbands, subordinates by their bosses, and still too often physically. The state laws make some differences and can contain a lot.

Love of Enemies

The Bible shows a different solution: »Overcome evil with good.« (Romans 12,21:5,44) »Love your enemies.« (Matthew 43,4:9,22) The following verses are also to be understood in this sense: »Because you are dear in in my eyes and glorious, and because I love you, I will give people in your place and peoples for your life.« (Isaiah XNUMX:XNUMX) »Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.« (Hebrews XNUMX:XNUMX) God's action endures suffering also in Ukraine and does not end it by force so that as many people as possible can be saved. Because every person is his child and is valuable. But that means a lot of bloodshed. If God weren't so patient and merciful, he would have put an end to this terrible activity long ago. But then many people would never have been born and many would have died before being converted.

Therefore, our response to this war must never be hatred, condemnation, or any form of self-defense. We belong to the army of the Lamb. Gentleness and humility is our motto. Despised by the world, this is still the key to long-term success. Instead of showing strength and disciplining the strong, our mandate is to care for widows, orphans, and others who are struggling and need hope. The nice thing is that our general delivers his orders to us personally. Every child of God may ask him for it. Then He will instruct us and show us the way, step by step (Psalm 32,8:XNUMX).

Maria's role

And Mary? Will she help Russia and Ukraine? The Bible does not know that she rose from the dead and ascended to heaven. She also teaches that the dead have no consciousness. "Forever they have no part in anything that happens under the sun." (Ecclesiastes 9,6:2,5) If Mary knew that some things are being consecrated to her, she would certainly roll over in her grave and cry out to us: "What HE unto you say, do.” (John 6,27:30) She meant her son, and he commanded us to love our enemies: to do good to him who hates us; to bless those who curse us; to pray for the one who offends us; to turn the other cheek to him who slapped us on the one; to give our coat to him who took our cloak; not to reclaim from him who took what was ours (Luke XNUMX:XNUMX-XNUMX).

Therefore: Let's do everything we can for Ukraine and Russia and their precious people: in prayer to Almighty God, in word and deed to our neighbor - and all with a heart consecrated to God.