On Wednesday protestors in support of President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol building, resulting in an evacuation of lawmakers and the fatal shooting of one protestor by law enforcement.
Father Rocky, Executive Director/CEO of Relevant Radio® joined The Drew Mariani Show™ as the events were unfolding to offer his response and reflection on the violence at the U.S Capitol.
Drew Mariani mentioned that Father Rocky was originally planning to join the show to announce that Relevant Radio had reached a milestone of praying 300 million Memorares for an end to abortion in America. Father Rocky noted that the violence unfolding at the U.S. Capitol was not unrelated to the violence of abortion.
“What’s going on today in Washington D.C. is kind of what Mother Teresa said,” he pointed out. “We can’t expect to have peace in our country or in our world as long as parents can take the lives of their unborn children. Maybe what she was saying was prophetic.”
Father Rocky encouraged listeners to remember that even in times of unrest, violence, and fear God is still present, and that “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:7)
“Remember, when Jesus was born in Bethlehem, things were far worse,” he said. “They were much more dangerous. Herod was a maniac and it was dangerous at that time. And yet Jesus, Mary, and Joseph found peace in that situation and lived in a beautiful way. They knew how to love, and that makes all the difference.”
So how can we respond to these incidents of violence and unrest in our own time? Father Rocky told listeners, “We need God’s help. We can’t solve this on our own. We can’t solve this just by political action. We can’t solve this just by education. We really do need God’s help to change our hearts in this country. All of our hearts.”
He encouraged listeners to focus on what they can fix and what they can control to bring peace and unity to our nation. He offered some examples, saying, “The kindness of your own words, your charity, your spirit of service, and concern for those around you. Older people are quarantined because of Covid – give them a call today and see how they’re doing, ask what you can do to brighten up their day. That’s something positive you can do in the midst of unrest and agitation.”
While calls for prayer may seem trite in the face of civil unrest, Father Rocky noted that history shows prayer is a powerful force in human history. Time and time again, prayer has helped end conflicts and violence that seemed insurmountable. He recalled that soon after St. John Paul II consecrated Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary the Berlin Wall and Communism fell. In the 1500s the Aztecs had rituals that involved human sacrifices, but those ended shortly after Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared to St. Juan Diego.
“This is a time, above all, to pray,” Father Rocky said. “Pray for peace and unity and realize it is in God we trust, not government.”
Listen to the full response from Father Rocky below:
The Drew Mariani Show airs weekdays from 2:00 – 5:00 p.m. Central on Relevant Radio and the Relevant Radio App.