One in Christ / Daniel Conway
Disarmament is necessary to achieve peace
(En Espanol)
In his first World Day of Peace Message issued on Jan. 1, Pope Leo XIV quotes the 1963 encyclical of Pope St. John XXIII, “Pacem in Terris” (“Peace on Earth”), about the importance of disarmament.
Pope Leo shares his predecessor’s conviction that surrounding ourselves with weapons of mass destruction is not an effective way to build or sustain authentic peace.
St. John XXIII writes:
Everyone must realize that, unless this process of disarmament be thoroughgoing and complete, and reach people’s very souls, it is impossible to stop the arms race, or to reduce armaments, or—and this is the main thing—ultimately to abolish them entirely. Everyone must sincerely cooperate in the effort to banish fear and the anxious expectation of war from our minds. But this requires that the fundamental principles upon which peace is based in today’s world be replaced by an altogether different one, namely, the realization that true and lasting peace among nations cannot consist in the possession of an equal supply of armaments but only in mutual trust. (#113)
The peace of Christ is not achieved by force. The Incarnation—God’s decision to take on human flesh and become one with us—contradicts our ordinary assumptions about power.
As Pope Leo says: “The mystery of the Incarnation, which reaches its deepest descent even to the realm of the dead, begins in the womb of a young mother and is revealed in the manger in Bethlehem.”
The Son of God comes without any armaments to establish peace on Earth. He is totally defenseless, an infant who cannot even care for himself, and yet he is heralded by a host of angels as the Prince of Peace. His whole life is a witness to the truth that nonviolence, not brute strength, is the only way to build a lasting peace.
Pope Leo quotes Pope Francis’ encyclical “Fratelli Tutti” (“On Fraternity and Social Friendship”), inspired by St. Francis of Assisi, a true peacemaker and a model of all that is necessary to build lasting peace:
In the world of that time, bristling with watchtowers and defensive walls, cities were a theater of brutal wars between powerful families, even as poverty was spreading through the countryside. Yet there Francis was able to welcome true peace into his heart and free himself of the desire to wield power over others. He became one of the poor and sought to live in harmony with all. (#4)
“This is a narrative that we are called to continue today,” Pope Leo writes, “and that means joining forces to contribute to a disarming peace, a peace born of openness and evangelical humility.”
A peace born of humility cannot be achieved by amassing nuclear arms. It requires disarmament. In “Pacem in Terris,” St. John XXIII says:
Those entrusted with the highest public responsibility must give serious thought to the problem of achieving more humane relations between States throughout the world. This adjustment must be based on mutual trust, sincerity in negotiations and the faithful fulfillment of obligations. Every aspect of the problem must be examined, so that, eventually, a point of agreement may emerge from which sincere, lasting, and beneficial treaties can be initiated. (#118)
Taking peace seriously means letting go of the need to circle our wagons and surround ourselves with things that are familiar and comfortable. On the contrary, it means opening ourselves to new ideas and points of view.
“This is the disarming path of diplomacy, mediation and international law,” Pope Leo says, “which is sadly too often undermined by the growing violations of hard-won treaties, at a time when what is needed is the strengthening of supranational institutions, not their delegitimization.”
More than 60 years ago, St. John XXIII told us that true and lasting peace cannot consist in the possession of an equal supply of armaments but only in mutual trust.
“Peace is more than just a goal,” Pope Leo adds. “It is a presence and a journey. Even when it is endangered within us and around us, like a small flame threatened by a storm, we must protect it, never forgetting the names and stories of those who have borne witness to it.”
Disarmament is necessary to achieve lasting peace. “Even in places where only rubble remains, and despair seems inevitable,” our Holy Father assures us, “we still find people who have not forgotten peace.”
May all of us work together to ensure that authentic peace is possible in our world today.
(Daniel Conway is a member of The Criterion’s editorial committee.) †