We need patriotism consistent with Christianity
Letter to the Editor
I can understand how some may feel hurt by Father Cordaro's dissent against the military. A verbal attack on the military is an attack on our very reality. We live in a country which is unarguably the largest military power in the world. Here at Notre Dame, we have a history of military involvement dating back to the Civil War. We claim a larger percentage of undergraduates enrolled in ROTC (10 percent) than any other voluntary ROTC program. We must never forget the sacrifices of the countless soldiers who gave their lives for the good of their fellow citizens; they indeed "did it all for (us)." How can we not be humbled by their self-sacrifice and commitment to a higher cause?
A much as I empathize with Sarah and Katie's testimonies, I embrace Father Cordaro's radical challenge to live for a higher cause still: The cause of Christ. As Christians, we are called not to a patriotism rooted in protectionism and aggrandizement, but to a patriotism which holds our country's actions to the Light of Christ. Does our nation heed Jesus' message: "But now I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you" (Matthew 5:44)? When Jesus hung dying on the Cross — God as a human, dying for us — He asked for the forgiveness of his killers. If even God's human suffering and death do not transcend forgiveness or warrant violent defense ("Put your sword back in its place"(John 18:11)), how can our own deaths and sufferings? As followers of Christ, we are called to lives of undiscriminating forgiveness and unconditional love. Yes, our world frequently strays from these axioms, but we are urged: "Do not conform to the standards of the world, but let God transform you inwardly ..." (Romans 12:2).
How practical is all this idealism? Jesus was not a killer; nor was he a masochist. Only when we stop fearing our "enemies" do we begin to trust in the Prince of Peace. This peace of nonviolence — true self-defense — is the challenge of Christianity. "The peace that Christ gives is to guide you in the decisions you make; for it is to this peace that God has called you ..." (Colossians 3:15).
We should not be shaken by Father Cordaro's message: We read it every Sunday at Mass.
Rachel Soltis
Sophomore
Pasquerilla East
October 6, 1999
All Viewpoint Stories for Thursday, October 7, 1999
