Another bewildering week. We are saddened by so much in our world, and we pray. The blind killings in Nice are a horrifying reminder of the everyday evil that people are capable of living. The continued violence in Southern Sudan between the Dinka and Nuer tribes, although both are Christians and fought together against the regime in Northern Sudan for their freedom, reminds us how easy it is to take and to change sides. I quote the lovely Celtic blessing:
Deep peace of the running waves to you.
Deep peace of the flowing air to you.
Deep peace of the quiet earth to you.
Deep peace of the shining stars to you.
Deep peace of the Son of Peace to you.
If only we knew how to bring and to maintain peace. Is promising violent response the way to safeguard our peace? Parliament is considering the future of our Trident submarine fleet on Monday. Bruce Kent, for many years a peace campaigner, pleads that Trident is no protection against terrorism. It may have limited use against great powers who have the same capacity to destroy with nuclear armaments, but against the every day terrorism that marks our world, against the violence in countries such as Iraq, Syria, Libya, Egypt, nuclear weapons have no place.
The cost of Trident is amazing – £200 billion! Kent pleads that we could use that money much better in doing good than in threatening force.
What do you think? Can we do anything beyond praying for peace? I feel helpless each day as I ask God’s blessing on my family and friends, my brethren, our parish, the Church, our country, the world. I ask everything and don’t seem to receive very much. It’s always been like that. Should I stop asking or is that the only way I can be involved? I can do nothing but care and pray and, just occasionally, I can help when I am asked or I see, quietly, a need. Prayer and care. Is that our limitation? God could do it all, we say, angrily: the world’s evils should not be left to us to resolve. Now, let me think . . .
God bless us,
Fr John
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