This previous week during our discussion on Catholic Social Teaching, someone raised the question "Does fighting in a war fulfill the principle of the Common Good?"
Now clearly any response to this question can take a very political turn very quickly, and while I believe we should be spending our money on better causes, I'd like to steer our reflection in a spiritual direction. When it comes to the use of violence as a means to attain anything, in fact the use of violence alone I believe we need to be reminded of the image of Christ. Here is a man who had so many violent things done to him because he stood up for what he believed in and never did he retort with violence. The man was handed a cross and crucified because he believed so deeply in God. His expression of non-violence accomplished far more than any violent response could have. Sure those who wanted him crucified accomplished something in killing him, but his martyrdom is what allowed him to be raised from the dead saving all of humanity... a much greater feat than the death of one man.
On January 2nd, 1991 Mother Theresa wrote the following letter to Presidents Bush and Hussein in response to the Gulf War:
"Dear President George Bush and President Saddam Hussein:
I come to you with tears in my eyes and God's love in my heart to plead to you for the poor and those who will become poor if the war that we all dread and fear happens. I beg you with my whole heart to work for, to labor for God's peace and to be reconciled with one another.
You both have your cases to make and your people to care for, but first please listen to the One who came into the world to teach us peace. You have the power and the strength to destroy God's presence and image, his men, his women, and his children. Please listen to the will of God. God has created us to be loved by his love and not to be destroyed by our hatred.
In the short term there may be winners and losers in this war that we all dread but that never can and never will justify the suffering, pain and loss of life which your weapons will cause.
I come to you in the name of God, the God that we all love and share, to beg for the innocent ones, our poor of the world and those who will become poor because of war. They are the ones who will suffer and when they do we will be the ones who are guilty for not having done all in our power to protect and love them. I plead to you for those who will be left orphaned, widowed, and left alone because their parents, husbands, bothers and children have been killed. I beg you please save them. I plead for those who will be left with disability and disfigurement. They are God's children. I plead for those who will be left with no home, no food, and no love. Please think of them as being your children. Finally I plead for those who will have the most precious thing that God can give us, Life, taken away from them. I beg you to save our brothers and sisters, yours and ours, because they are given to us by God to love and to cherish. It is not for us to destroy what God has given to us. Please, please let your mind and your will become the mind and will of God. You have the power to bring war into the world or to build peace. Please choose the way of peace. I, my sisters, and our poor are praying for you so much. The whole world is praying that you will open your hearts in love to God. you may win the war but what will the cost be on people who are broken, disabled, and lost?
I appeal to you - to your love, your love of God and your fellowmen. In the name of God and in the name of those you will make poor do not destroy life and peace. Let the love and peace triumph and let your name be remembered for the good you have done, the joy you have spread, and the love you have shared.
Please pray for me and my sisters as we try to love and serve the poor because they belong to God and are loved in his eyes so we and our poor are praying for you. We pray that you will love and nourish what God has so lovingly entrusted into your care.
May God bless you now and always."
While violence may be our first reaction, let us respond with love. Let us be symbols of Christ's triumphant non-violence, and build community by building others up rather than tearing them down.
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2 comments:
Let us also remember that the most "Just War" that could have ever been fought would have been in the Garden of Gethsema by the Apostles to defend the Son of God from being given up for crucifixion. It is there Jesus disarmed ALL Christians and told Peter to put his sword away. We are capable of ending the circle of violence through prayer and sacrifice. Capable of standing in the way of violence with our eyes set on the hope of eternal life.
Great blogging Mike. What a loaded questions. I wonder what your response was at the time.
It is a very good question and a loaded one too. The obvious answer is no because the common good can never be served through violence. It necessarily means that the good will be, maybe, for one side but really for neither side since both will suffer and therefore the common good is completely denied.
Our country spends over 10 times more in defense spending than the next closest country. (China 79 billion---USA about 800 billion). How can this be good for us much less anyone else? How is good stewardship eximplified here. Just as you I don't want to get invovled in the politics of it but I do want people--especially young people who consider military service--to be aware of what is happening in the world when we make decisions.
You lay out a very good spiritual concern when considering particiapting in violence. I will say one more thing. Jesus told us to love our enemies because when we hate we become like them. The only way to to change hate is by transforming it with love.
God love ya--hope all are well. I love siding!!!
Dave in KC
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