One year later

Afew days ago, a small group of people gathered in Winnipeg

They stood outside in the cold weather, holding candles, in a vigil that commemorated the first anniversary of the Russian invasion that began the Russia-Ukraine war.

We may never know how long the two sides thought this war would continue.

In the past, Russian forces have invaded a country, overthrown its government, replaced it with a government loyal to Moscow and went home. But this war is different. The people of Ukraine have fought back; and fought back hard; leading some to suggest that one side may resort to nuclear weapons to end the conflict quickly. No one wants that.

As with any war, especially one that has gone on as long as this one, the media focus on the government leaders who sent their soldiers to war. In this case, much of the world’s focus has been on Russian President Vladimir Putin who, as his armies are fighting a war in

Neil Strohschein

Ukraine, is fighting for his political life back in Moscow.

Putin has made his demands regarding Ukraine very clear. He does not want Ukraine to forge closer ties with the European Union or NATO. He is prepared to do whatever it takes (including invading, conquering and annexing Ukraine into the Russian republic) to ensure that it stays out of both organizations. One year later, he still believes he is acting in the best interests of the Russian people, that the invasion of Ukraine is justified and that Russia will ultimately win the war. But at what cost to him and to the Russian people?

So far, the war in Ukraine has proven to be very costly.

Thousands of Russian and Ukrainian soldiers have been killed in action. Civilian lives have also been lost, though no one knows exactly how many. The value of properties destroyed by bombs and shells now runs into millions of dollars. And we may never know the full value of the weapons of war, some of which possess the most sophisticated technology ever devised for military use, that have been destroyed in this conflict. And every day the war continues, the number of lives lost and the value of items destroyed continues to grow.

So why don’t the two sides sit down and negotiate a peace treaty? Because for that to happen, both belligerents must admit that this is a war neither side can win. Then they must put aside their personal agendas and choose to sit at a table and negotiate a just and lasting peace, even if it puts their political futures in jeopardy.

Only one power in the universe is strong enough to convince leaders bent on waging war to choose to walk the way of peace. That power is the power of God’s Holy Spirit; and it is released by the prayers of God’s people. St. James (James 5:16) tells us that “the prayers of the righteous are powerful and effective.”

This week I have a simple request for you. Would you take just five minutes each day to pray for peace in our world? You can pick the time that works for you. You may choose to repeat a prayer that someone else has written-like the “peace prayer” of St. Francis of Assisi. Or you may use your own words. Just pray that God will speak to the leaders of Russia, Ukraine and any other country currently fighting in a war, telling them that enough is enough! The time for war has ended. The time for peace has come.