But they do call us to a special understanding of what they have experienced, inflicted and suffered. It is unseemly that in a time where Christians march in support of AIDS victims or demonstrate against domestic violence that churches are ashamed of their veterans on November 11 because they think that to honor them is to perpetrate militarism. Such an attitude is one of unchristian meanness. Jesus was not endorsing the Roman empire when he healed the centurion's servant. Probably every veteran has experienced a moment when the imponderable awfulness of what soldiers do makes them stop and give cry to the deepest rooted hope for a better world, populated with better people.
Nothing is more horrible than meeting one's fate, far from mother, wife and children.
Life was bequeathed to us in order that we might love and be considerate to one another. From the ruins, out of blood and death shall come forth a brotherly world. Soldiers pray for God to come near when the fog of battle closes in. They see only dimly that out of blood and death there can come a brotherly world. They are alert for signs of the kingdom of God breaking in even among ruins and horror.