Have we become madly in love with power?

Despite the Israel-Iran cease-fire, the risk of a broader global war grows ever more real.

- FR. ROLANDO Y. DELA ROSA, O.P.

Nations aligned with either side are intervening, each seeking to shift the balance of power in their favor. They overlook the fact that in war, there are no true victors, only victims. As Jesus warned, “He who lives by the sword shall perish by the sword” (Matthew 26:52).

These words ring even truer today, in an age when warfare no longer involves swords but nuclear weapons and precision-guided missiles capable of annihilating entire cities in seconds. A single reckless leader, acting under the pretense of peace or national security, could destroy civilizations with the push of a button.

Years ago, political scientist Håvard Hegre of the University of Oslo predicted that by 2050, “the world would be more peaceful, largely because war would have become financially pointless.” But today’s accelerating arms race tells a different story. War remains a highly profitable enterprise, especially for those who manufacture and sell weapons.