Recent days remind us of the strong grip of political violence in our world. The words from a speech on this topic of 1968’s United States Presidential candidate and assassination victim Robert Kennedy ring true.
In Ecuador, five people have been imprisoned this month for their roles in last August’s assassination of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio.
Yet we seemingly tolerate a rising level of violence that ignores our common humanity and our claims to civilization alike. We calmly accept newspaper reports of civilian slaughter in far off lands.
In the United States, a Pennsylvania sniper killed one spectator and wounded presidential candidate Donald Trump and two others during a campaign rally over the weekend.
We make it easy for men of all shades of sanity to acquire weapons and ammunition they desire.
Soldiers in India-administered Jammu and Kashmir have killed three suspected militants, the latest incident in an uptick of attacks in the disputed northern territory.
Some look for scapegoats, others look for conspiracies, but this much is clear; violence breeds violence, repression brings retaliation, and only a cleaning of our whole society can remove this sickness from our soul.
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Congolese M23 rebels supported by Rwanda and Uganda are reported to support current torturing and executing of political opponents.
Our lives on this planet are too short and the work to be done too great to let this spirit flourish any longer in our land.
More than 50 candidates and activists in France came under physical attack in the run-up to France’s tense final round of parliamentary elections, according to Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin.
But we can perhaps remember—even if only for a time—that those who live with us are our brothers, that they share with us the same short movement of life, that they seek—as we do—nothing but the chance to live out their lives in purpose and happiness, winning what satisfaction and fulfillment they can.
Let us pray:
Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all and in all. Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if one has a grievance against another; as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do. And over all these put on love, that is, the bond of perfection. And let the peace of Christ control your hearts, the peace into which you were also called in one body. And be thankful. AMEN. Colossians 3: 11-15
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