Dialogue between Christ and Patriot

Originally published in The Catholic Worker’s March 1935 issue

The “Patriot”: I love peace as well as any man, but I am a realist. A strong system of national defense is our best assurance of peace. National defense is the patriotic duty of every American citizen. The R.O.T.C. affords the Catholic college student a fine opportunity to fulfill this patriotic duty.

Christ: All that take the sword shall perish with the sword.

The “Patriot”: Yet we must be practical! There are, of course, some nations whom we can trust. Canada is a good neighbor. We shall never have a war with her. But unfortunately not all nations are like that. Japan and Russia are casting jealous eyes at us. Our basic policies conflict. We must arm to defend ourselves against such nations.

Christ: You have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor and hate thy enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies; do good to them that hate you; and pray for them that persecute and calumniate you.

The “Patriot”: A noble doctrine! We must always keep before us the ideal of International good will. At the same time we must realize that It is merely common sense to be on our guard. We shall not start a war, but if some other nation starts one, then we must be in a position to defend our territory.

Christ: To him that striketh thee on the one cheek, offer also the other. Of him that taketh away thy goods, ask them not again.

The “Patriot”: But national defense is not merely a question of defending our material rights. It is a question of life and death. Only a strong system of national defense will guarantee our personal security.

Christ: Be not afraid of them who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.

The “Patriot”: But there is such a thing as a just war. Under circumstances a nation has a right to declare war. In the Old Testament war Is approved under certain circumstances.

Christ: You have heard that it hath been said, an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. But I say to you not to resist evil.

Lord Jesus Christ, Lover of Peace, kindle in our poor hearts the flame of Thy heroic love, that we may see Thy beloved image in all men, our enemies as well as our friends, that we may rather suffer injury than protect our rights by violence, for Thy sweet sake Who died for all men. Amen.

Paul Hanly Furfey (1896 – 1992) was an American Catholic priest, sociologist, and friend to Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin. Paul Hanly Furfey blended professional expertise as a professor of sociology with Catholic Social Teaching to offer a powerful message of peace and solidarity to his students. Inspired by his friendship with Day and Maurin, Furfey helped establish interracial community houses to serve the poor in the Washington D.C. area.