Bishop Edward Malesic presided at a holy hour for peace on Feb. 25 in the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist.
“We come to pray before the presence of the Lord, the Christ who has come to save us from ourselves and the evil one,” the bishop told the faithful who gathered for the late-afternoon liturgy.
Archbishop Paul Coakley, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, invited bishops and priests across the country to consider hosting a holy hour for peace during February.
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“Your faith matters. Your prayers matter. Your acts of love and works of justice matter,” the archbishop said, adding, “The current climate of fear and polarization, which thrives when human dignity is disregarded, does not meet the standard set by Christ in the Gospel.”
The faithful were encouraged to join in prayer as a step towards healing in the nation and local communities.
The Cleveland Diocese’s holy hour came as the normal Wednesday adoration was coming to a close. Eucharistic adoration takes place after the noon Mass, 12:30-5 p.m., every Wednesday in the cathedral.
Bishop Malesic told those gathered that Jesus wants us to be peacemakers, to be instruments of his peace and love. “What we do when we leave here is proof of our love for the Lord,” he said, noting that Jesus “prayed deeply to his Father and stood courageously with others.”
He said Archbishop Coakley’s request came after the violence last month in Minneapolis, Minnesota, during which two people were killed. But his request also is inclusive of violence elsewhere in the world, including Ukraine, where the war with Russia has entered its fourth year, as well as unrest in the Middle East, parts of Africa and more.
“Today is simply to pray, to ask the Lord to teach us how to pray and how to love our neighbor so love becomes the word of the day, not hate,” the bishop said.
Pope Leo is asking people around the world to be cautious in their speech, in their use of social media and in political debate in order to keep things more peaceful, Bishop Malesic said.
“As we come today before the Prince of Peace, we acknowledge we are not as loving as we should be. Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me,” he said, referring to the lyrics of a hymn. Then, at the end of our lives, we will be able to say we loved Jesus because we loved and cared for the least of our brethren – the poor, hungry, sick, incarcerated, etc.
“We can show the world what peace looks like by living it ourselves,” he said.
The prayer service included hymns, readings, a homily, Universal Prayer, Litany of Peace and benediction.
Click here to read Bishop Coakley’s reflection and invitation to host a holy hour.