May 17, 2026- Pastor Message
May 16, 2026“In the days to come, the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established as the highest mountain and raised above the hills. All nations shall stream toward it…The Lord shall judge between nations and set terms for many peoples. They shall beat their
“In the days to come, the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established as the highest mountain and raised above the hills. All nations shall stream toward it…The Lord shall judge between nations and set terms for many peoples. They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; one nation shall not raise the sword against another, nor shall they train for war again” (Isaiah 2:2, 4).
At the time I write this column, the ceasefire between the US and Iran officially remains in effect, though that could end at any moment as Iran rejected our most recent peace proposal, countering with their own, which President Trump has also rejected. Meanwhile, our military remains engaged in maintaining a blockade of Iran, even as theirs continues to attempt to cut off the vital Strait of Hormuz. This all plays out for us each day, on TV and on the internet, in colorful maps and digital graphics, almost like a video game, but the reality is far grimmer, with real human lives being lost on both sides. According to Reuters (How many people have been killed in the Iran war? | Reuters). The US has suffered thirteen servicemembers dead with over 300 wounded, and Iran has suffered over 3600 dead, not to mention the hundreds of dead and wounded in other countries who are involved, such as Israel and Lebanon. Unless there is a breakthrough in the peace process, those numbers will only rise.
The destruction and loss of life that it brings compel us to understand that war is no game, nor is it ever good. Following the example and teachings of Christ, the Prince of Peace, the Church has consistently taught that peace and charity are always the first and most preferred option in any conflict. Yet, according to the long tradition of our faith, war can sometimes be justified. This is known as the just war theory, and it is based on the truth that there can be no peace without justice. When an injustice is grave enough, or the most basic rights of entire peoples and nations are being attacked or seriously threatened, then war may be justified to restore justice and ensure peace.
For any war to be considered just, however, it must conform to several important criteria. First, it must be a matter of last resort. All other, nonviolent efforts must be exhausted before war is considered. Second, the decision to go to war and its conduct must be governed by legitimate authority. This is to ensure that the other criteria are respected. Third, the use of force must be proportional to the danger posed and the goals required to achieve the just objectives. This criteria ties directly into the final criteria, any military action must, to the greatest extent possible, protect the lives of noncombatants. The indiscriminate targeting and killing of civilians can never be justified, though, in the current state of warfare today, when corrupt regimes place weapons and military installations in civilian buildings and neighborhoods specifically to prevent more conscientious countries from targeting them, this criteria can be very difficult to observe.
Last resort, legitimate authority, proportional force, protection of noncombatants - these are the criteria of a just war that the Church offers to those who have to make the grave decision of whether to go to war or not and how to conduct it if it is necessary to restore justice and ensure peace. I offer no answer as to whether our current war with Iran meets these criteria. That is something we each must weigh in our own minds and hearts, especially those in authority. I simply offer them as food for thought and prayer, and, regardless of what our opinion is, let us all, as followers of Christ, pray and work for peace in our world.
Fr. Marc Stockton
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