Today my heart is crying for the people of the Ukraine. Feelings overwhelm me: helplessness as an individual, guilt for the gratitude of being Canadian. I fear that someday, such chaos and destruction could happen here. And of course, I pray. I desperately want God to do something. I feel as if my pleas are met with silence.
I believe God works through each one of us. What can I do? What can you do? We’re so far away. I for one don’t want to be closer to the violence, even though I care so very much.
What can we do? Try envisioning a person living in the Ukraine, or fleeing the warfare. As we do so, we can send our love and compassion into the chaos and fear. Just send love, over and over again.
In Madeline L’Engle’s novel, “A Wrinkle in Time,” her main character, Meg, comes face to face with evil as she seeks to rescue her little brother, Charles. Taken over by evil, Charles is barely recognizable. Hate overwhelms her. Hate isn’t the answer. Evil already has hate. She loves her little brother so much. “Love – Yes,” she thinks, “Evil doesn’t have love.” She knows she can’t sincerely give her love to evil, however, she can give love to her precious brother. “I love you, Charles,” she calls out. “I love you.” Her love pours forth. Gradually, Charles is set free to be who he truly is. It’s just a story, but the message carries truth. Evil has no power against love.
Love is the strongest and greatest gift we have to offer to our world. The needs are greater than the biggest ocean. My love is only one drop, but it’s essential. When I truly give love from the depths of my heart, I believe that God uses that love to combat the evil that is happening in places like the Ukraine. When we give our love, when we call out with our hearts, our minds, our actions, the people of the Ukraine will feel our prayers. Giving my love brings a touch of peace to my troubled soul, and, I believe, to the soul of someone in the Ukraine. When we all give our drops of peace, they will become the ocean of love the world needs to combat violence, lust for power and fear.
We are not helpless. We have the most powerful gift of all. We only need to give it. Thanks be to God.