“When Jesus heard of the death of John the Baptist, he withdrew in a boat to a deserted place by himself. The crowds… followed him on foot.” “When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, and he healed their sick. When it was evening, the disciples approached him and said, ‘This is a deserted place.’” Yet it is in this deserted place that the people are nourished. Found among them are “fives loaves and two fishes” over which Jesus “said the blessing, broke the loaves, and… all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up the fragments left over— twelve wicker baskets full.”
Militarism’s State, which Max Weber once said, “claims the monopoly on violence” is still murdering people like John the Baptist. Militarism’s State however is not a country. Militarism’s State is the world and virtually every particular state within it that claims the monopoly on violence. Peacemakers like Jesus still arise within Militarism’s State to nourish the people. Militarism’s State is Iraq that murdered Yanar Mohammed who nourished the people through human rights work and the Organization of Women’s Freedom. Militarism’s State is the Central African Republic that murdered Father Crépin Martial Monga who nourished the people through grassroots peace and reconciliation initiatives. Militarism’s State is Iran that’s murdered over 500 people for nourishing democracy. Militarism’s State is the U.S. whose soldiers have murdered over 3,600 Iranians in its war against them and whose ICE agents have murdered 11 people on the streets here and 50 within its detention centers. Militarism’s State is the Trump administration expanding its Militarists’ abilities and opportunities to murder: by pardoning J6 rioters, deploying the National Guard, increasing military budgets, targeting political opponents for revenge including journalists, judges, minorities, fired government workers, by cutting funds to vital agencies &/or dismantling Cabinets and services that secure people’s basic needs, and by refusing to obey laws like due process. The State of Militarism led by Donald Trump recently convened a 60 nation Political Terrorism Conference in which Marco Rubio and Stephen Miller claimed, “Far-left political terrorism” is surging and they vow to “crush this evil forever.” These men are demanding state violence as a monopoly – and, as a right. Therefore, Militarists claim you and I have no right of conscience, the State has the right to criminalize conscience. You and I have no right to our humanity; the State has the right to charge we human rights activists as terrorists. You and I have no right to dissent; the State has the right to demonize critics as traitors. You and I have no right to freedoms such as speech; the State has the right to jail free speech advocates as treasonous.
Princeton University is the home of the Bridging Divides Initiative. It tracks peacemakers who, like Jesus, in the face of Militarism’s State and its claimed right to violence, nourish us. Peacemakers are engaging across institutions and interests for funding, resources, and to be local monitors for observation and data collection on the State’s enforcers (e.g. National Guards, police, ICE) as well as legal aide actors and de-escalation workers, and are also passing laws such as sanctuary while also establishing alternative safety organizations, peace zones, Mayors for Peace, Governors Safeguarding Democracy, and in addition are providing peacemaking trainings for election workers. Peacemakers are like loaves and fishes, we keep multiplying. You and I will keep being satisfied while Militarism’s State gets starved to death.
Prayer: Beautiful Spirit, help me live as a peacemaker
Question: What more can I do for peace?
August 02, 2026 Gospel Matthew 14:13-21 Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
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