Tuesday, August 11, 2026From the news

Pilgrims of Faith in the Shadow of War

Amid the sorrows of Middle East conflicts, the gathering of 20 million Shia pilgrims for Arbaeen reminds us of humanity's enduring quest for God, calling us to trust in His nearness and hope.

My soul yearns and pines for the courts of the LORD. My heart and flesh cry out for the living God. ... Better one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere.

Psalm 84:2-3, 10 (NABRE)

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus.

Hebrews 12:1-2 (NABRE)

After this I had a vision of a great multitude, which no one could count... These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. ... For the Lamb who is in the center of the seat will shepherd them and lead them to springs of life-giving water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.

Revelation 7:9, 14b, 17 (NABRE)

My dear friends, in these days when the news weighs heavy on our hearts, let us turn our gaze to Iraq, where, despite the raging wars across the Middle East, more than 20 million Shia pilgrims have gathered in the holy shrine city for the Arbaeen festival. Imagine it: roads filled with weary feet, voices lifted in prayer, hearts united in remembrance amid the very shadows of conflict. It's a sight that pierces the soul, isn't it? The pain of violence so close, yet this vast throng presses on, drawn by a deep, unquenchable longing for the divine.

We feel the ache of it all, don't we? The innocent lives lost, families torn apart, the endless cycle of suffering that seems to mock our hopes for peace. Yet here, in this pilgrimage, we see something profound: the human spirit, marked by the image of God, refuses to be silenced. These pilgrims echo the words of the psalmist: "My soul yearns and pines for the courts of the LORD. My heart and flesh cry out for the living God... Better one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere" (Ps 84:2-3, 10). In the face of danger, they choose the path to the holy place, reminding us that our truest home is not in the fleeting securities of this world, but in the presence of the One who loves us without end.

The Church, in her wisdom, teaches us that such acts of faith are not isolated, but part of that great communion of saints who have walked before us. Think of Saint Teresa of Ávila, who urged us to let nothing disturb us, for God alone suffices, or the martyrs of our own tradition who braved persecution for the Eucharist. These Iraqi pilgrims, though of another rite, bear witness to the dignity of every person, created to seek God, as our Catholic social teaching so beautifully affirms in the call to solidarity across all divides.

Saint Paul captures this so well in his letter to the Hebrews: "Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus" (Heb 12:1-2). What a comfort! We are not alone in our struggles. That cloud envelops us too, as we make our own pilgrimages—to the altar, to confession, to the quiet Adoration chapel. Even when wars rage or personal trials press in, Jesus walks with us, as He did with the disciples on the road to Emmaus, turning our hearts to burning hope.

And oh, the vision in Revelation fills us with tender reassurance: "After this I had a vision of a great multitude, which no one could count... These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb... For the Lamb who is in the center of the seat will shepherd them and lead them to springs of life-giving water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes" (Rev 7:9, 14b, 17). Twenty million souls converging in Iraq mirror that heavenly throng—a foretaste of the Resurrection's victory, where every tear is dried, and mercy reigns eternal.

Take heart, my friends. In the sacraments, especially the Eucharist, we join this pilgrimage anew. Mary, our Mother of Sorrows, who stood faithful at the Cross, intercedes for these pilgrims and for us. Let us remember: God's nearness is our strength. Amid the wars, faith endures, calling us to mercy, to prayer for peace, and to hope in the One who shepherds us home.