Almighty God, from whom all thoughts of truth and peace proceed: Kindle, we pray, in the hearts of all people the true love of peace, and guide with your pure and peacable wisdom those who take counsel for the nations of the earth; that in tranquility your kingdom may go forward, till the earth is filled with the knowledge of your love; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
I am war weary. (And for the record, I was weary when a Democrat was president, too.) I wasn’t always that way. I was typical. When a Republican president said we had to go to war, I was okay. In the aftermath of 9/11 I was fine with the beginning. I am far from “pure as the wind-driven snow” on this matter.
But I am war weary. The trillions of dollars lost in the war machine and then taking care of those we sent to war is atrocious and is the to point of reprehensible. When the cost of staying in Iraq soared past a trillion dollars, and then I easily calculated another trillion we weren’t ready to spend on healthcare for the wounded coming home, and we were not resolving anything… I am war weary.
When we stayed and a president who campaigned on getting us out resorted to assassination by drone, I was even more war weary.
I am not a military expert. (Most of you that would counter with arguments about “just war” aren’t military experts, either.) I know that in my spirit, in my mind, in my study of history and theology, there is a Kingdom I serve beyond the war machine nation I live in today. That Kingdom blesses peacemakers. That Kingdom longs for a day when we pound our swords into plowshares.
I do not have the answers for what is our way forward politically. I simply say I AM WAR WEARY. And for peace I pray.
Apprentice 2 Jesus 