I’m not saying that I would never believe there’s such a thing as a ‘just war’ or for the necessity of force of arms from militia and police in society, but I am asking - myself at least, What would happen if instead of bombing others with munitions of destruction, we ‘bombed them with love?’

What if instead of ‘an eye for an eye’ we chose to forgive? -- And not just to hide or walk away, but to risk everything, life itself, in compassionate, forgiving, serving, loving acts.

Only God can change the heart, and of course, we all must make our decisions, whether to continue the spite and spate of violence, or stop at least our own desires and acts of retaliation, and bid our governments do the same.

Bombing with love or 'balming with love,' also involves trying to understand the reasons why the other is against us, and doing what we can to rectify past injustices and present wounds of poverty and loss that our country and even our own families have contributed, that has helped to bring the shame, anger and contempt of ‘our enemies.’

It means sending aid, education and seeking justice and the righting of wrongs (from our side) where that can and should happen. If means asking, 'What do you need; how can I/we help?' It means opening lines of communication where possible; it means 'being there.'

Balming with love may mean we lose the things, and even the people, that are dear to us. I hate that too; I fear that, to be frank. But is not that part of what Jesus calls us to do when he bids us, ‘take up our cross and follow?’

'Is not this the way the Master trod?' asks the old hymn. ‘Should not the servant tread it still?'

And if sheer evil, greed, lust and desires for violence, and the profit (of dollars and discovery-increase) that war brings to its backers, and to us, are the root causes, then even here the Gospel calls us to meet violence with non-violence - to love our enemies, to do good to those who spitefully use us, to do what Jesus did (and didn’t do).

Ghandi and Martin Luther King are two examples of those who have followed another path, in seeking to resist evil and overcome injustice. Their work was never finished and yet - what a difference their lives made. Bishop Tutu and others continue in this spirit, in the Spirit of Christ, on the front-lines of their own country and context.

So many implications and so few guarantees of immediate good returns. But again - What would happen if instead of bombing others with our weapons of destruction, we decided to ‘balm them with love?’