THE sad photograph in The Catholic Leader (16/9/12) of the caskets of Australian soldiers coming home from Afghanistan gave me pause for thought.
People will attend the services for these men and pray for their eternal rest in the next life.
But where are the prayers in our Sunday Masses for their safe-keeping while they are serving their country in war zones?
Why not add a few lines to the Prayers of the Faithful each Sunday to recognise the fact that the lives of our men and women are in danger every day and to ask God to protect them?
We could thank God for giving them the courage to put their lives on the line so that people in other countries may have better lives.
We could pray for their safe return when their duty is done; and pray for the families at home bearing extra burdens while their loved ones are facing dangers we cannot imagine.
We could add a prayer for the citizens of those countries where our troops serve, that they will be relieved of the burden of war.
Most of all we could pray for those who instigate the actions that lead to violent repression and genocide that they be given the fortitude to acknowledge their wrongful deeds and ask forgiveness of their people.
PAT CANNARD
Murrumba Downs, Qld
