The war in Ukraine was brought somehow more immediately close to the Pluscarden community recently through the moving testimony of a Ukranian guest.
Anastasia Rozdolska is a 28 year old medical doctor who was with us in late May this year: enjoying a Scottish and Pilgrim break from her work on the front line of the war. Fluent in several languages, including English, she gave a talk to the community about her war experiences. Her work has involved daily excursions in the fighting zone to pick up and bring back the wounded (of either side) and the dead; also to perform emergency operations in underground operating theatres. Obviously this work is extremely dangerous. Each day she risks violent death. So many of her friends and colleagues have already been killed. Safely here for now in our peaceful country, she still tends instinctively to duck at the sound of aircraft, or especially drones, overhead, or loud bangs nearby.
Happily for her, as a fervently practising Catholic Christian, daily Mass is always available near the front line, through the work of the Ukranian Service Chaplains: also support in prayer, in stress, in trauma, and in grief.
Anastasia spoke of the ever-pressing need for those at war to resist the temptation of hatred of the enemy. "They can destroy our bodies: we must not let them kill our souls also."
Personally, she has chosen to accept the discomforts and risks and horrors of her work, out of a sense of duty, and of need. Politically, she takes a very simple approach. "As a nation, we have no option but to stand. We have to resist the invader. Better to fight and die than to become his slaves."
Religiously, her faith becomes ever more alive for her. When each day could easily and suddenly be one's last, it seems simply necessary to stay close to the Lord, to pray a lot, to strive always to remain in a state of grace: also to bear witness to God's presence, and goodness, and power, and love, to those who are tempted to bitterness of heart, or to despair.
It is always both moving and humbling to hear such direct testimonies as these. Our prayer for an end to the war, and especially an end to the killing of the innocent; our prayer also for all those caught up in the war, and for a just and lasting peace, must only be intensified.
