Chapter 22War and Violence

Not so long ago, at the beginning of this century, during what was perhaps the most murderous war of all, the fate of millions of men was decided many a time by the financial speculations of the contending heads of state.

* O men! How can you utter the sublime word “Peace” when there is no peace in your hearts?

The War is over, so you say, and yet everywhere man is slaying man and Cain still sheds his brother’s blood!

* In the Bible, God calls Cain and asks him: “What have you done with your brother?”

Today I call man and ask him: “What have you done with the earth?”

* For all those whom the Divine Grace has kept far from the horrible conflict which is tearing men apart, the only way to express their gratitude is by a complete consecration of their whole being to the divine work.

May 1940

* Don’t worry about Hitler. No asuric force can stand eternally against the divine force and the hour of his defeat is bound to come.

27 May 1940

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The Victory has come, Thy Victory, O Lord, for which we render to Thee infinite thanks-giving.

But now our ardent prayer rises towards Thee. It is with Thy force and by Thy force that the victors have conquered. Grant that they do not forget it in their success and that they keep the promises which they have made to Thee in the hours of danger and anguish. They have taken Thy name to make war, may they not forget Thy grace when they have to make the peace.

15 August 1945

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The Atomic Bomb The Atomic bomb is in itself the most wonderful achievement and the sign of a growing power of man over material nature. But what is to be regretted is that this material progress and mastery is not the result of and in keeping with a spiritual progress and mastery which alone has the power to contradict and counteract the terrible danger coming from these discoveries. We cannot and must not stop progress, but we must achieve it in an equilibrium between the inside and the outside.

30 August 1945

* Violence is never a good way to make a cause triumph. How can anyone hope to obtain justice by injustice, harmony by hatred?

9 October 1951

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X has inquired if You have said anything recently about the world-situation. He wants to know if there is any likelihood of another world war or some other grave troubles.

Tell him that I refuse to be a prophet.

3 February 1962

* This old idea of the necessity of the catastrophe to make the power effective is a limitation that has to be overcome.

* There is no question of welcoming destruction, but of learning the lesson it gives.

* I disapprove totally of violence. Each act of violence is a step back on the path leading to the goal to which we aspire.

The Divine is everywhere and always supremely conscious. Nothing must ever be done that cannot be done before the Divine.

6 May 1971

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