Not long ago I was speaking with someone about the terrible killings that were occurring in the Middle East and I was asked “Is there really someone up there taking care of us?”…This is such an important question, let’s reflect on this today.

God gave us the gift of free will and He has told us that we will be judged, BUT we often want to “have our cake and eat it too”…which basically means we want the freedom of having free will, of making our own choices EXCEPT we also want God to intervene and keep us safe from harm, prevent tragedies etc.

Has God not provided us with everything we need as a global community? Take global hunger, as an example. It’s not that the world cannot produce enough food to feed everyone; it’s simply that we are not sufficiently concerned about resolving this problem…or the problem of famine would be resolved.

How much do we really care about the fact that there are people living in places where there is terrible political oppression…Are we willing to pray for them? Or do we only pray for our own needs? Are we willing to sacrifice for them? Or do we only sacrifice for our own goals?

Where is God? He is here in us! BUT the degree to which Jesus will intervene depends on us, His people! Why was there a genocide in Rwanda? Why was there a genocide in Sudan? Why do economically impoverished people not rank as important political priorities demanding organized military peacekeeping action?

I have no political or economic power, but I know that I have a responsibility as a Christian to do what I can. In the past I will confess to you that I used to put my head in the sand because some of these global issues like famine and war are so upsetting to me that I tried not to think about them, because I felt powerless. But today I believe so much in the power of prayer and the value of living a life that honors God that I believe that a quiet revolution could occur simply with ordinary people praying, sacrificing and doing God’s will in all matters.

God will respond to our prayers, but if very few of us care to pray, is it any surprise that the grip of evil keeps growing? I am very attached to my Rosary because it’s my weapon against evil…I remember telling a group of children that the Rosary was the most powerful weapon to create peace in the world and one little boy said “Is it a gun?”….Prayer is the key that opens the heart of God! Let’s use the key! And then we won’t be looking up at the sky wondering God are you on vacation today….look at what’s happening here! God lives in us; we must consent to doing His will!