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The Road to Peace

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In the midst of political comedy and senseless violence this week, there were two encouraging events. The more recent brought tears to many eyes: hearing the families of victims of the massacre at Emmanuel AME Church express their loss and at the same time forgiveness toward the shooter. They were truly witnessing to the loving mercy of Jesus. As Pope Francis has urged all of us:

Let us be renewed by God’s mercy, let us be loved by Jesus, let us enable the power of his love to Cross and hearttransform our lives too; and let us become agents of this mercy, channels through which God can water the earth, protect all creation and make justice and peace flourish.

(Easter Urbi et Orbi message, March 31, 2013).

Earlier in the week, the Senate voted overwhelmingly to ban the use of torture (sometimes euphemistically called “enhanced interrogation”). The United States is finally taking the moral high ground. As Senator John McCain said on the Senate floor, “Our enemies act without conscience. We must not.”

I am reminded of the following event recalled by a Holocaust survivor near the end of World War II, as quoted by Donald W. Shriver:

When our liberation was at hand, we began to outnumber the guards. We could have killed them all with impunity. Instead we locked two hundred of them up and let the Allies decide what to do with them. They were all murderers, but this was a measure of the difference between them and us.

Cited in Forgiveness in International Politics: An Alternative Road to Peace, by William Bole, Drew Christiansen, and Robert T. Hennemeyer

If we say that it is acceptable to torture those who would use torture on us; if we hold people indefinitely without charges and without trial because we deem they do not deserve better treatment—then what is the measure of the difference between the terrorists and us?

We can give thanks for this step toward fulfilling the command of Jesus, who told us:

But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. (Luke 6:27)

In the long run, this is the only road to peace.


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