Can peoples rebel against the wars of the powerful?

By Sergio Centofanti

Throughout history, peoples have suffered so much from the wars of the powerful. How many innocent victims, how many tears, how much pain has been caused by the wars fought by the weak for the mighty?  Wars that have made the weak weaker and the strong stronger.

In these days the possibility of a third world war has been evoked.  The very idea frightens us. 

Saint John Paul II's appeal at Christmas 1990, before the outbreak of the Gulf War, still resounds prophetically: "Let those responsible be persuaded that war is an adventure without return!" Even today, after more than 30 years, we are still paying for the consequences of that war: violence, terrorism, other wars, other peoples who suffer. 

Today, we hear the voices of the powerful who speak of war. We need to listen to the voice of the little ones who speak of peace. It has already happened in history. Gandhi mobilized an army of poor, voiceless and seemingly defenseless people who united to win with peace, even though it seemed impossible. Also in the last century, powerful dictatorial regimes, which seemed invincible, collapsed without violence because defenseless people rebelled. 

The Gospel proclaims: Blessed are the peacemakers. "War is madness," Pope Francis warned: it brings only suffering and destruction to peoples.