On 8 June, Pope Francis met the Presidents of Israel and Palestine at the Vatican to pray for peace in the Middle East.

A few weeks later, hostilities broke out for the umpteenth time between the Israelis and Palestinians. So much for the much-hyped, peace-seeking trip to the Middle East by Pope Francis!

The Vicars of Christ have been praying to God for peace in the Middle East since 1986, when Pope John Paul met with other religious leaders for a prayer meeting at Assisi.

A year later, in 1987, violence, rather than peace, broke out in Gaza and the West Bank. And much worse was to follow on 9/11 and during the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria.

The facts speak for themselves: thousands of people have been killed in the Middle East through terrorism and war since 1986. Towns and cities have been bombarded and millions of people have been forced to flee their homes and live in appalling conditions in refugee camps.

God has not responded to the prayers for peace.

As Kant said: “petitionary prayer is a superstitious illusion.”

 

John Guillaumier

St Julian's