"...We're a country that has been committed to war. It's going on in the Middle East right now. And where do their weapons come from? Israel, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, all the countries in the Middle East that are so engaged in violence now — their weapons have all come from us because we make weapon production our No. 1 industry...
We seem committed to the idea that violence will bring peace, and Jesus is saying, "No, it won't. It never will; it never has." The only way we're going to transform our world is through the love that Jesus shows us: that you return love for violence, love for hate. That's how we can transform our world.
Jesus promises us that our world can be transformed into the reign of God where everyone will have a full human life, where there will be peace, joy, fullness of life. If we listen, try to change our ways of thinking, and then change our ways of action in our individual lives, in our neighborhoods, in our cities, our world, then the reign of God can break forth. And the peace of God will fill our hearts, fill our minds, our whole being, and gradually transform our world into the reign of God."
Bishop Thomas Gumbleton is a founding member of Pax Christi USA. This column was excerpted from his homily at St. Philomena Catholic Church in Detroit. He will lead a retreat
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