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"Peace Be With You" (John 20:26; Luke 24:36)
"Peace I leave with you; my peace I
give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be
troubled, and do not let them be afraid." John 14, 27.
The Christian Community in a Time of War In these frightening times of war and violence, our Church has spoken out clearly for peace and justice as we strive to stay faithful to the teachings of Our Lord and Master in a violent world.: " Love your enemies" (Matt. 5:44). Below are some of the words from our Catholic faith community. May they help us to be courageous and peaceful followers of Jesus.
Our Holy Father - Pope John Paul II "NO TO WAR"! War is not always inevitable. It is always a defeat for humanity. International law, honest dialogue, solidarity between States, the noble exercise of diplomacy: these are methods worthy of individuals and nations in resolving their differences. I say this as I think of those who still place their trust in nuclear weapons and of the all-too-numerous conflicts which continue to hold hostage our brothers and sisters in humanity.... Faced with the constant degeneration of the crisis in the Middle East, the solution will never be imposed by recourse to terrorism or armed conflict, as if military victories could be the solution. And what are we to say of the threat of a war which could strike the people of Iraq, the land of the Prophets, a people already sorely tried by more than twelve years of embargo? War is never just another means that one can choose to employ for settling differences between nations." Read the complete text of the Holy Father's Address to the Diplomatic Corp (click here).
The Path to Peace this Day - Fr. John Dear, S.J. "Christian peacemaking begins with grief. We grieve for those who suffer and die from our bombs and wars. We weep over our own Jerusalems, for the people of Iraq, Palestine, and Colombia, for the world's poor, for New York City and Washington, D.C., for the world's crucified people, for ourselves. Like Christ, we feel the world's pain. Our hearts break. But this is the beginning of grace, wisdom and peace. We cannot love our neighbors and our enemies as Jesus did, if we do not first enter their pain as he did. We cannot show compassion without standing in solidarity with those who suffer, especially with those who suffer from our bombs." Read the complete text of Fr. Dear's article (click here).
The Security We Seek: A Catholic Perspective - Fr. Bryan Massingale "Underlying the American pursuit and understanding of "security" is a deep sense of fear and vulnerability felt in the aftermath of the homeland attacks of 9-11. Our policy documents constantly play upon and remind us of the threats we face and our vulnerability to cold-blooded evil. Our fear and vulnerability demand that we maintain and bolster our military preeminence, in order to insure our continued economic prosperity and consumer lifestyle. Catholic Social Teaching has a different view of security. It insists that solidarity is the way to peace, and that only when we realize that we are all really responsible for all, including the poor and vulnerable, can we rest in tranquility and security. This ethic of solidarity declares that no individual or nation can go it alone." Read Fr. Massingale's complete article (click here).
"Humanly speaking, I would much prefer to keep silent. It would be far, far easier for me and my family simply to let events unfold as they will, without commentary or warning on my part. But what kind of shepherd would I be if I, seeing the approach of the wolf, ran away from the sheep (cf. John 10:12-14)? My silence would be cowardly and, indeed, sinful. I believe that Christ, whose flock you are, expects more than silence from me on behalf of the souls committed to my protection and guidance. Therefore I, by the grace of God and the favor of the Apostolic See Bishop of the Eparchy of St. George in Canton, must declare to you, my people, for the sake of your salvation as well as my own, that any direct participation and support of this war against the people of Iraq is objectively grave evil .... Beyond a reasonable doubt this war is morally incompatible with the Person and Way of Jesus Christ. With moral certainty I say to you it does not meet even the minimal standards of the Catholic just war theory." Read Bishop Botean's complete letter to the people of his diocese (click here).
Pray for Peace. "Peace Be With You".
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