This is Mr. Putin lighting a big candle while visiting Mount Athos in Greece in 2005. Mount Athos is a peninsula in the Greek Archipelago where there are twenty some odd monasteries and hundreds of monks of different nationalities. The Monastery of St. Panteleimon is the Russian Monastery (aka The Rossikon). It is the largest of all the monasteries — more like a town.
Men who are covered in blood have not infrequently been pictured doing pious things. In more than a few Renaissance paintings we see princely types holding models of churches and monasteries in outstretched hands, kneeling before the Mother of God — imaging the gifts they made to the Church — a kind of amends for their dastardly deeds. So Mr. Putin's pious display (candle-lighting, icon and gospel-book kissing, hobnobbing with hierarchs) is not new. God sees; God knows. Pity the Church, which out of spiritual breakdown, greed or fear accepts the theatre and the accompanying lucrative donations. That's why I'm wondering about the monk who is looking on as Mr. Putin piously crosses himself. What is this monk thinking? He's got a lock on gaze, and not smiling like the the deacon on the far left under the icon of the Mother of God Interceding.
We can't read the monk's mind, but I'd like to think that as an elder monastic he's got some understanding of the the Gospel of Jesus Christ who said, "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you many be sons of your Heavenly Father." Matthew 5:43 Tall order!
What are we to do with this murderous invader? It may take the Ukrainian people generations to forgive the cruel spoiler, but the words of Jesus stand. I would suggest we pray this prayer from the heart: "Jesus, give Vladimir Putin what he needs for salvation." Then, let Jesus do the rest. There are Evangelical Christians who say we should invoke curses down on him — like the vengeful psalms. But that isn't the Christ-way. Forgiveness doesn't mean, "Let's go on vacation together," but praying, "Jesus, give him what he needs for salvation" Actually, that's loving. Or at the consecration, when the chalice is lifted up at Mass say: "I claim the blood of the Lamb for Vladimir Putin." The Lamb, of course, is the Crucified and Risen Jesus.
Jesus knows Vladimir Putin inside and out. Jesus knows me inside and out. No need to compare and contrast. Stay with the picture a moment. Then, imagine after the candle-lighter has sailed away, standing alone with the monk and praying this prayer for the man responsible for incomprehensible evils: a Christian country bombing and shelling to rubble another Christian country on Easter Sunday. St. Paul writes: "Don't be under any illusion: you cannot make a fool of God!" Galatians 6:7
