Pray with the Pope Reflection - March 2026

Fr. Edmund Lo, SJ

Tuesday, March 10, 2026

My brothers and sisters: In this month of March, our Holy Father invites us to pray for disarmament and peace, that nations move toward effective disarmament, particularly nuclear disarmament, and that world leaders choose the path of dialogue and diplomacy instead of violence.

In a recent address to the Vatican diplomatic corps in January, Pope Leo XIV warns that “war is back in vogue and a zeal for war is spreading”.

Just because war has always been a part of human history does not give it legitimacy; rather, it serves as evidence of the horror and atrocities of which humans are capable without the redemptive power of the Lord.

Praying for disarmament does not mean that we give up the right to defend ourselves. This is especially so when it comes to nuclear weapons, whose possession speaks more of mutual destruction than self-defence.

Let us pray that the Christian way of being and living are not separated from the way we interact with other nations, as if our Christian faith can be relegated to private matters, while we revert to brute, animalistic ways of domination and power when it comes to politics as if this is a matter of course.

Let us pray that we live and witness in such a manner that our Christian identity counts for something in the public discourse.

Finally, it is difficult to unhinge war and its horrible effects with hatred in our hearts. Therefore, let us pray that our attitudes and actions not be overtaken and governed by hatred, and that if any hatred exists, let us pray that the Lord may thaw those icy parts of our hearts, that Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace may reign in our hearts. May God bless you today.