Whether we like it or not, we are now living in an era plagued with wars and rumors of wars. If there’s a time that we, as a peace-loving people, should start praying or intensifying our prayers, it is now. With the conflict between Russia (ruled by a bloodthirsty madman) and Ukraine still raging on, we now have the war between Israel and Hamas (led by another madman) that has the potential of involving other players in the region and even worldwide.
Needless to say, thousands of lives of combatants and non-combatants (including children, women and elderly) have already been lost, dreams crushed to smithereens, with more death and destruction expected each day that these violent and barbaric conflicts continue. With Christmas just around the proverbial corner, why can’t we have “peace on Earth, goodwill to men”? Or maybe heed the late John Lennon’s appeal to “give peace a chance”? Is this too difficult to ask? Sadly, maybe it is.
Why can’t leaders of warring states, factions, tribes or whatever, just punch, kick, pull each other’s hair or beard, inside a boxing or mixed martial arts ring to thresh out their mostly-imagined differences? Or maybe they can just select a place where they can just kill themselves to their hearts’ content without involving the rest of humanity who are just going about their lives trying to survive and providing for their loved ones. To paraphrase an African adage, “in a battle between two elephants, it is the ants who are trampled”. We are those pitiful ants.
This near-sighted Ibaloy writer knows that my suggestions sound corny and naïve but these are definitely better than the alternative of using missiles, tanks, guns, and other machines of war, that cause so much death and destruction as exemplified by what is occurring right now in several parts of the globe. Let’s not forget that now, we have the capability to obliterate our planet many times over with nuclear weapons. Is this what we call being “civilized”? Is this “progress”? Let’s choose peace. Please.
May our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ continue to bless and keep us all safe.
May 6, 2024
