Blessings of peace, mercy, and the boundless love of Christ to all of you, my dear brothers and sisters.
We gather today in the shadow of great suffering—violence that shatters innocent lives, persecution that crushes the human spirit, and corruption that poisons the foundations of justice. These are not distant tragedies, but wounds that bleed across our world, crying out for the healing touch of Christ. Yet even in this darkness, we must remember: the light of the Lord is not extinguished. It shines in the hearts of those who refuse to accept despair, who rise with courage to build a world where peace, dignity, and truth prevail.
The Scourge of Violence and the Cry of the Innocent
The Lord hates violence, for it is the weapon of the wicked and the destroyer of His children. We have seen its horror in Gaza, where lives are cut short in an instant, where mothers weep over sons, where the earth itself seems to groan under the weight of bloodshed. Psalm 11:5 reminds us: "The Lord tests the righteous, but His soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence."
What does this mean for us, the faithful? It means we cannot be silent. We must be voices for the voiceless, advocates for peace, and relentless in our pursuit of justice. Imagine, my brothers and sisters, a world where war is not the answer—where nations lay down their weapons, where dialogue triumphs over destruction. This is not a fantasy. It is the Kingdom of God breaking into our world, and we are called to be its builders.
The Chains of Persecution and the Call to Solidarity
In Belarus, in prisons across the world, men and women languish for daring to speak truth to power. Sergei Tikhanovsky, a man who endured unspeakable suffering, reminds us that tyranny may break the body but never the spirit. Hebrews 13:3 commands us: "Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them."
We must not forget them. We must pray, yes—but prayer without action is empty. We must demand justice, support those who fight oppression, and refuse to look away when our brothers and sisters are silenced. The Church has always stood with the persecuted. Will we continue that legacy, or will we let fear and indifference chain us as well?
Corruption and the Betrayal of Justice
In Peru and beyond, corruption rots the foundations of society. Proverbs 29:4 warns: "By justice a king builds up the land, but he who exacts gifts tears it down." When leaders exploit the weak, when truth is buried with the dead, when power is bought rather than earned, the very soul of a nation withers.
But justice is not a lost cause. It is a battle we must wage—with integrity, with courage, with unwavering faith in the righteousness of God. Imagine a world where leaders serve rather than steal, where courts defend the poor rather than the powerful. This is the world Christ calls us to create.
The Church’s Struggle and Our Mission
Yet even as we look outward, we must also look inward. One of the great trials of the Church today is the crisis of faith among our own—the weakening of conviction, the drift into complacency. Too many of the baptized live as though Christ’s call does not demand everything of them. But the Gospel is not a comfort to be taken lightly—it is a fire that must burn in our hearts and drive us to action.
We must renew our commitment—to prayer, to charity, to justice. We must be the hands and feet of Christ in a broken world. If we do not, who will?
A Warning and a Promise
But hear this, my brothers and sisters: if we turn away, if we choose comfort over courage, silence over solidarity, then the darkness will deepen. Wars will multiply, prisons will overflow, corruption will strangle hope. The world will not simply stagnate—it will rot from within.
Yet if we rise—if we answer Christ’s call with all our strength—then miracles will unfold. The hungry will be fed, the oppressed will be freed, the liars and tyrants will fall. The Kingdom of God will not remain a distant dream—it will take root here, among us, through us.
This is our mission. This is our duty. This is our joy.
Amen.
What can we do?
The world is filled with suffering—violence, oppression, and injustice—but we are not powerless. Each of us can take small, meaningful steps to make a difference. Here’s how:
1. Stand Against Violence
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