As we begin the new secular year of 2024, I don’t want to talk about resolutions today. It’s not that I think I’m perfect such that I don’t need to make improvements in my own behavior. I know I am not perfect. I need God’s help to take better care of myself and to be a better disciple.

What I want to talk about is more important than what I need or want as an individual. I titled this article “My Hopes for 2024” but I am not writing here about hopes I have in my own life. Today I would like to reflect on my hopes for whole world in 2024 and beyond.

I Hope for no more war
At the top of my list is the end to war. War doesn’t make sense to me. I don’t understand the war between Russia and Ukraine. Recently, a city in Russia near Ukraine was bombed (see “Shelling kills 21 in Russia’s city of Belgorod, including 3 children, following Moscow’s aerial attacks across Ukraine” by CBS News, 12/30/23). Russia immediately blamed Ukraine and said Ukraine had no right to do this. When Russia has been bombing in Ukraine for almost two years, how can Russia say Ukraine shouldn’t attack them? It makes no sense. It’s time to end the war.

Israel continues to bomb Gaza. Recently, Israel has been bombing places they had previously told people to flee to. It makes no sense. Israel has clearly crossed the line of going beyond a just war (at the end of this article are links to past articles I have written applying just war theory to the war between Hamas and Russia). Clearly, Israel’s bombings have gone beyond any proportionate response allowed in just war theory

I pray that the drone attacks in the seas in the Middle East against private commercial ships and other attacks to land locations in the Middle East do not lead us to more war.

I hope for no more shootings and/or terrorism
What do they accomplish? Death and hatred.

I hope that people begin to actually listen to one another
Does Israel ever listen to the concerns of the non-Jewish people living in Israel? They have a right to live there. They have a right to heard.

Does Hamas ever listen to the concerns of Israel?

Whatever side of a political argument one is on, do they listen to the other side? I am not saying the other side is right. I’m saying they have a right to be listened to and may have valid points to make if someone would just listen.

I hope for genuine dialogue that helps all understand the truth
Whether we are talking about politics, morality, or faith, there is truth. One’s desire to think that there is no truth does not mean there isn’t. We must seek the truth. To understand this truth, we must understand the divine order with which God has created the world. Truth is the solution, not the problem (see John 8:32). If there is no truth, then no one is right.

I hope that people begin to understand that there are consequences to our actions
Some people think they can do whatever they want and that it doesn’t have any effect beyond what they want. They ignore the needs of others and then expect others (either the government and/or God) to fix everything. God wants to fix what is wrong with the world. Are we willing to admit what is wrong with us and what we might need to change in our own behavior?

I hope people look beyond their “self” to see and address the needs of others
We have a right to have our own needs fulfilled but we have no right to have our wants fulfilled. It’s not that our wants are necessarily bad. It’s just that they aren’t more important than the needs of others. As individuals we need to realize that if we “take” more than we need, others might not have want they need.

As groups, whether it be faith, political, or ethnic, we must realize that others have the same rights as us. Here, I think of Israel and the Palestinians. Israel claims a right to the land. They have a long history to support that right. The Palestinians have a right to live there too. I pray that they find a way to get along. War is not the answer. When has there not been conflict over that land? It’s time to for all involved to look beyond their own claims to the land and seek a path forward together.

Some people blame wars on religion. I say faith calls us to love our neighbor. War is not part of love. War lies in human desire to control the power and to have what we want. Jesus calls us to love our enemies (see Matthew 5:43-48). Hate only leads to more hate until someone decides to love.

Humanity is fallen. Humanity is broken. Do we have any reason for hope?

Yes! Humanity is fallen. Jesus Christ comes incarnate in the flesh to redeem humanity that we may been raised up.

What is my greatest hope both in my own life and for the world? It is what we pray in the Lord’s Prayer, “thy will be done.” The world will reach its true potential when we all do our Father’s Will.

Peace,

Fr. Jeff

Here are the recent articles I have written applying just war theory and other important criteria to the present conflict between Israel and Hamas:

10/10/23 – “Escalating Conflict” – https://blog.renewaloffaith.org/blog/escalating-conflict/

10/17/23 – “The Importance of Building Relationships” – https://blog.renewaloffaith.org/blog/the-importance-of-building-relationships/

10/24/23 – “Is Life Being Respected?” – https://blog.renewaloffaith.org/blog/is-life-being-respected/

10/31/23 – “Two Things” – https://blog.renewaloffaith.org/blog/two-things/