No Killing Allowed for the Followers of Jesus

"Put your sword back! These are the last words — a definitive rebuke — the disciples hear from Jesus before they run away. If ever there was a moment in God's eyes when violence would be justifiable, this is it! But Jesus is clear: Put your sword back! His followers are not allowed to respond with violence. They are not allowed to kill. They are not allowed to harm others. They are not allowed to threaten others. They are not permitted to 'deter' violent crime with the use of violence.

"Why? Because all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword. Violence begets violence. Killing begets killing. Nukes beget more nukes. Death begets death. Jesus, the incarnation of the God of nonviolence, stands for life. He will not succumb to the way of violence. Although he knows that he will perish under the cross's violence, he places his hope in the God of Life and awaits the third day."
— Jesus the Rebel : Bearer of God's Peace and Justice

Nonviolence as a Way of Life

"Nonviolence is active love that seeks justice and peace for the whole human race, beginning with the poor and oppressed. It is the all-encompassing love that embraces every human being on the planet, refuses to kill anyone, and works for social justice for everyone. It leads us to dismantle every weapon of violence, from the nuclear bomb to the handgun.

"Nonviolence recognizes every human being as an equal sister and brother, a child of God. From this vision of the heart, nonviolence leads us to renounce violence and work tirelessly for an end to war and poverty. It does not require the taking of life, but the giving of one's life for suffering humanity. It demands sacrifice, commitment, creativity, struggle, and persistent reconciliation. Because it disrupts our lives and requires risks by us on behalf of others and the truth of peace, it hurts. It is costly. While it is certainly a political tactic and strategy for social change, nonviolence is essentially a way of life. It is a living prayer for the coming of God's reign of peace, and so, a life of permanent resistance to the world's wars and injustices."
— Mary of Nazareth, Prophet of Peace

Touching Jesus

"At some point, each one of us has touched Jesus. Mother Teresa says we touch Jesus in the poor and the homeless. Martin Luther King Jr. says we touch Jesus in the struggle for justice and racial equality. Philip Berrigan says we touch Jesus in the pursuit of nuclear disarmament. Dom Helder Camara says we touch Jesus in every act of compassion. Mahatma Gandhi says we touch Jesus in the life of nonviolence. Thomas Merton says we touch Jesus in our contemplative prayer and solitude. Dorothy Day says we touch Jesus when we welcome and house the homeless. Oscar Romero says we touch Jesus when we liberate the oppressed. Henri Nouwen says we touch Jesus in one another whenever we recognize each other as a beloved daughter or son of God."
— The Questions of Jesus: Challenging Ourselves to Discover Life's Great Answers

A World Brimming With Weapons

"The world is brimming with such weapons. Over 5,000 nuclear weapons remain poised today on hair-trigger alert, ready to fire at a minute's notice. Over 36,000 nuclear-warheads fill arsenals around the world, with combined explosive yield of 650,000 Hiroshima bombs. (Over thirty U.S. nuclear weapons have been involved in accidents.) Meanwhile, the trillions of dollars spent on preparations for mass destruction means trillions of dollars taken from starving children, the homeless, better schools, jobs, cleaning up the environment, and healthcare for all."
— Living Peace: A Spirituality of Contemplation and Action