It is true, political problems are not solved by love and mercy. But the world of politics is not the only world, and unless political decisions rest on a foundation of something better and higher than politics, they can never do any real good for men. When a country has to be rebuilt after war, the passions and energies of war are no longer enough. There must be a new force, the power of love, the power of understanding and human compassion, the strength of selflessness and cooperation, and the creative dynamism of the will to live and to build, and the will to forgive. The will for reconciliation.
from Introductions East & West. The Foreign Prefaces of Thomas Merton
Politics may be a by-product of pride. Christ shows us a way out of pride-driven violence by providing a practical message of love and mercy. Politics loses its importance when we cast upon it the light of God’s truth. We struggle to understand the true nature of peace, until we truly believe in the work of Christ. Spinoza says, “Peace is not an absence of war, it is a virtue, a state of mind, a disposition for benevolence, confidence, justice.” Chapter 4 of Benedict’s Rule “The Tools for Good Works” states plainly, “First of all, love the Lord God with your whole heart, your whole soul, and all your strength, and love your neighbor as yourself.” These simple words provide us with the key to overcoming the complications that arise from human pride and a way of transcending politics by following Christ’s teachings.