"Peace is not a balance of power, but a gift from God." — Pope Leo XIV
As the world watches the escalating conflict in the Middle East, we are witnessing what philosophers call a "limit situation"—a moment where human strategies fail and the risk of total destruction feels all too real. In these moments, our Catholic faith acts as a moral firewall. Through the lens of "Just War" principles, we are called to ask the hard questions:
Is this truly a last resort?
Is the destruction we see proportional to the peace we seek?
Are we protecting the innocent, regardless of who they are or where they live?
This Lent, let’s refuse to let the "logic of force" harden our hearts. We pray for our leaders to choose the courage of dialogue over the "logic of the abyss," and for the safety of all families caught in the crossfire. Fr. Matthew Hawkins #StBenedictTheMoor #Lent2026 #PrayForPeace #JustWar #PittsburghCatholic