...peace I give to you, not as the world givesit...

When the bishops wrote their pastoral letter on nuclear war, we had an adult ed series on the topic at S. James Parish.

One week the Archbishop came and spoke.

The next week, we had a rep, from Strategic Air Command also speak.

At the question period, one participant rose to question the Colonel from S.A.C.

"It says on this pamphlet, that the U.S. has 10,000 nuclear missles and there is always the danger of a nuclear war starting by mistake!"

"Colonel, what do you think abou that?"

The answer wa not what the questionrr expected.

The Colonel replied: "The number of nuclear bombs is classified, but 10,000 is probably in the ball park. As to wars being started by mistake, as a student of history, I have learned that too many wars HAVE been started by mistake!"

With a bellicose, narcisstic president whose world view could be described as not balanced, could mistakes be made by him, or by an even more unbalanced Iran regime that could stumble us into another war, even as the  Afghan people have endured wars for over 30 yearsn certainly caused by major mistakes?

And so we pray:

"not as the world gives peace..."

O God deliver us from war mongering,

and posturing, and threats that box us into corners.

Deliver us from bumbling and stumbling

where angels fear to tread.

Make each of us in our democracy, instruments of peace,

and inspire our president

with the wisdom of restraint.

Amen