When Will We Ever Learn

If we are to believe US intelligence reports, the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad ordered chemical weapons attack in Damascus that killed 1,429 people including more than 400 children.

Chemical weapons have long been banned in warfare; and if indeed Assad ordered its use against his own people, he will face charges of crimes against humanity, and will join the inglorious company of Adolf Hitler (who used chemicals to kill Jews in concentration camps) and Saddam Hussein (who used chemical weapons against Iranian forces and Kurdish villagers).

On 24 July 2013, the United Nations put out an estimate of over 100,000 that had died in the civil war.  Also, the conflict has resulted in 1.8 million Syrians becoming refugees in Iraq, Jordan, Turkey and Lebanon, with 4 million others displaced within its borders.

When will we ever learn? We have yet to experience a totally peaceful world, as conflicts arise in different countries year in, year out. One despot disappears, another one emerges.  It is cyclical, and who suffers but civilians including the innocent children.

On September 7 Pope Francis fasted and prayed for Syria together with hundreds of thousands of Christians across the globe. He asked, “How many conflicts, how many wars have mocked our history?” He answered his question, “Even today we raise our hand against our brother…We have perfected our weapons, our conscience has fallen asleep, and we have sharpened our ideas to justify ourselves as if it were normal we continue to sow destruction, pain, death. Violence and war lead only to death.”

He continued, “Can we get out of this spiral of sorrow and death? Can we learn once again to walk and live in the ways of peace? Invoking the help of God under the maternal gaze of the Salus Populi Romani, the Queen of Peace, I say yes it is possible for everyone. From every corner of the world tonight, I would like to hear us cry out: Yes, it is possible for everyone!” 

Let us continue to fast, continue to pray for peace in Syria. Let us ask God to fill the minds of the leaders of the warring parties, and those who have the influence, with wisdom; and their hearts with love.