The outbreak of the latest confrontations in the Middle East has presented residents of several Gulf countries with unprecedented challenges as they face the whir of missiles, the roar of drones, and the sound of air defenses and explosions, which they have never known in countries long known to be safe havens.
Amid anxiety and uncertainty, prayer has emerged as a spiritual refuge and a source of peace and serenity for these Christian communities.
Speaking to ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, Catholic faithful living in Kuwait shared their moving experience of clinging to prayer and seeking shelter in it during difficult times.
Norma and Angela Fernandez recalled their shock at hearing news of the war’s outbreak on the evening of Feb. 28 as they were preparing to attend Mass after participating in a talk on the Seven Sorrows of Mary during a training course for catechism teachers at Our Lady of Arabia minor basilica in Ahmadi.
“We offered the Mass for the intention that the war would end quickly and that peace would return,” they said.
In the days that followed, “we were stunned and somewhat afraid, because in Kuwait we are not used to the sound of sirens, followed by the buzz of air defenses intercepting missiles and drones, and the frightening blasts and rumbling they leave behind.” Iranian missiles targeted American bases across Gulf countries, including Kuwait.
“But we witnessed the courage of the country’s leaders and its people in confronting the attacks, and their vigilance in protecting Kuwait’s security and the safety of all who live there, citizens and residents alike,” they said.
”The Church, too, kept watch over its faithful and worked hard to accompany them spiritually, doing everything possible to remain in contact with them. “Thanks to all the clergy, we were able to continue celebrating holy Mass online, with churches closed in the first days in response to the civil authorities’ instructions. What a great blessing. We are all blessed.”
The Fernandez sisters said that gathering in prayer for peace and seeking the intercession of the Virgin Mary, patroness of the apostolic vicariates of Northern and Southern Arabia, fills the hearts of the faithful with peace and strengthens their hope and trust in the Lord Jesus, “for he cares for us and protects us.”
Our Lady of Arabia Church reopened its doors on March 9 to worshippers praying for peace and for the safety of every human person.
“We are not called to judge those who harm us but to ask God to purify their hearts, fill them with mercy, and forgive them, repeating the words of Our Lord: ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do,’” the sisters said.
Another Kuwaiti Catholic, Sharan Diaz, said the difficult times the Middle East is living through are a powerful reminder of God’s grace, because they remind the faithful that Christ is present whenever they gather in prayer and in the sacrament of the Eucharist.
Diaz said being unable to attend Mass in person and receive Communion during the period when churches were closed left an emptiness in her heart and reminded her of the importance of the Eucharist.
“As soon as the churches reopened, they were filled with faithful eager to celebrate the Eucharist and receive holy Communion. It is a great blessing,” Diaz said. “Despite all that is happening in our world, being able to visit the church, encounter Jesus, and receive him in holy Communion fills my heart with gratitude.”
This story was first published by ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
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