The horrors of war
20th Sunday C
Cobh
17 August 2025
My friends,
One of the impacts of having a 24/7 news cycle is that today we can witness the horrors of war up close almost instantly. Sadly, a consequence for many is that its not felt for what it is – because we have been exposed to so much war like imagery from film – we have become numb to its brutality and suffering.
At any one time across the world there are many armed conflicts being waged – invariably about lands and borders. Most of these conflicts have long histories, which make it easy for a new generation to stoke old resentments to reignite the conflict.
The current conflicts that dominate our attention are truly shocking in the level of destruction and death that is being inflicted on innocent people who are the collateral damage in the Russian/Ukrainian war and Israel/Palestinian nightmare.
There is a universal call and desire that this madness should stop – that people need to step back from these missions of vengeance to sue for peace.
In the gospel from St. Luke, we hear words from the Lord Jesus that have a violent and destructive tone. He speaks of bringing fire upon the earth and wishing it were blazing already. He speaks too of bringing division not peace. In a way these words are both disturbing and confusing because we associate the Gospel as a pathway to peace and reconciliation, which is true.
The point we need to hear is that the nature of Jesus’ message is to purify our hearts, to be like the refiner’s fire to process what’s at stake in order to come to the truth. True peace will not be won at all costs unless it is grounded in truth and justice, respect and reconciliation. All true peaceful solutions are hard won. Sometimes division and vigorous opposition are necessary forerunners to making peace.
Jesus experienced great opposition because he “disturbed the peace” – Like Jeremiah the prophet, he called out the hypocrisy of those in leadership and they didn’t like it one bit. No wonder they set out to silence him.
That same dynamic of those in political, military and economic power silencing the voices of protest goes on today. It is shocking and sinful. Yet we do not give up hope – there are many places today who enjoy peace and prosperity who once only knew war, conflict and division. The E.U. itself, is itself the fruit of the work of dedicated peace makers who wished that future generations would be spared the horrors of the two World Wars they experienced.
Peace is possible when deep desire to be reconciled takes hold. May we be blessed with strong and patient makers of peace.
