Following on my last post about the significance of spiritual unity, particularly prayer, on Maidan in Kyiv these days, I wanted to pass along my translation of a post “Euromaidan on its knees” that illustrates it well. The original can be found at: http://paus144.livejournal.com/20705.html

It was an indescribable sight!

I saw it with my own eyes – Euromaidan in Kiev on its knees !

Some time ago the news broadcasts of several Ukrainian TV channels flashed the story, which showed how participants of Euromaidan knelt in unison…

No, they are not scared by the batons of the Berkut or “Molotov cocktails”, the threat of long-term imprisonment, beatings, threats, harassment, defamation and other things which they received in abundance from the Ukrainian authorities.

The reason for this action was completely different – people … praying !

On February 2, 2014 the Popular Assembly, consisting of tens of thousands of people, once again knelt still as a single person – and silence reigned on Maidan as people again repeated after one of the religious leaders of Ukraine the words of the Lord’s Prayer .

“Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy Name ” – with a powerful echo many thousands of voices repeated the holy words, expressing their appreciation not for Viktor Yanukovych , not for earthly rulers and presidents, and one and only Father of all mankind.

“Give us this day Our daily bread” – people turned to Him on whom the well-being and lives of each of us depends.

“And forgive us our debts, and lead us not into temptation” – they asked. Because for far too long they put up with stupidities, for which they will have to pay the whole world, and there exist even greater temptations to shed brothers’ blood for the sake of someone’s ambitions.

“And deliver us from evil” – they pleaded to almighty God, meaning that Herod who had once fallen from heaven, who moved into the heart of the current Ukrainian (and not only!) rulers and looks with a smirk at human suffering, on shed blood and crippled futures.

“For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever .” – they professed the greatness and power of the Almighty Creator, who gives the breath of life to every living being in the universe.

“Amen!” – confirmed the crowd with words of prayer with such power that it shook the windows of nearby houses .

And at that moment I understood that defeating this people will be impossible for any sort of Yanukovych, any “titushky”, “Berkut,” military forces and other forces acting on the side of dictatorship.

They cannot win – not because people have organized themselves into self-defense units, consisting of a fairly competent and professional people ;

not because someone is hoping for help from the West ;

not because the popular uprising of Ukrainians has already reached those sizes, when all attempts to crush it by force would be like extinguishing fire with gasoline;

not for any other similar reason – (although all of the above, of course, are very important!)

The invincibility of the Ukrainian rebels lies in that they have overcome their fear – and turned from a herd of slaves into free and independent citizens who are ready for the sake of their nation to go even to martyrdom!

“Blessed is he whose helper is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God” – written in the Bible (Ps.145:5)

EVERY HOUR Ukrainian people are calling out in prayer for the help of Almighty God !

And they believe that He will help them !

In a situation where the notions of good and evil are reversed, when those who should be protecting the people are attacking them, when those called to serve the people relate to the nation as to mute cattle, “when there was truth, and justice standeth afar off , and honesty … can not enter ” ( Is.59 : 14) – in this situation, the people cried out to the only fair judge, who can help them.

And He will ALWAYS help- because it is a promise given in the Bible: “Call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me” ( Ps.49 : 15)

One can have a variety of attitudes toward what is happening : misunderstanding, distrust, skepticism, ridicule, or even that it really won’t change anything significant.

But God fulfills his promises! And that which He said in ancient times through his prophet Isaiah has not yet lost its relevance:

“Woe to those who draw sin along with cords of deceit, and wickedness as with cart ropes, to those who say, “Let God hurry, let him hasten his work so we may see it. Let it approach, let the plan of the Holy One of Israel come, so we may know it.” Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter. Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight. Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine and champions at mixing drinks, who acquit the guilty for a bribe, but deny justice to the innocent. (Is.5 :18-23)

In their struggle against evil and injustice, among the many mistakes people have made, they have taken one absolutely correct step – they began to pray.

This is very serious! Because if God will be on their side – who will be able to defeat such a people, and how?

I very much hope that the Gangs of “Regions” and their leader are smart enough to voluntarily withdraw from power without plunging the country into civil war and without burdening their souls with unnecessary victims – because each will have to answer to God for everything…