The Ultimate Oxymoron: Viewing Warfare Through Cherishing Life

Only a foolish person would assert that war can defeat evil in the world.  And, I agree with Pope Leo XIV that actual armed conflict should never be lightly portrayed, “like a video game.”  I would ask the Pope, though, if war could ever be considered through “cherishing life,” especially when an enemy is obviously an aggressive, pervasive, persistent, and chronic agent of death. 

 
I note the recent juxtaposition of articles in “the Loop” about Pope Leo’s admonishments (about the Iran War)  in this regard and the news of President Trump’s Chief of Staff Susie Wiles “early stage cancer.”  Therein lays parallelism.   The news left no doubt that this cancer threat would be addressed vigorously and with full medical “armament.”  

 
As a cancer survivor—though many would still say “patient”— this nefarious disease often lingers in various cells, awaiting regrouping and assault, not unlike the terrorist ones that daily threaten millions of people around the globe.   The earlier the detection and attack on these lethal bodily enemies the better.  I once sat next to a patient in a radiation treatment facility with a diagnosis of Stage 0 cancer, astonished that radiation was being employed given side effects.  Even as I type, I feel the slight tingling in my hands, likely due to neuropathy from cancer treatment, many years afterwards.  Moreover, the chemical bombardment on my body for months—administered by nurses in protective garment and gear—had the potentiality of doing more harm than good.

 
So, why undergo such extreme measures.  Life.  Life is precious.  Life in this world still holds much potential for any of us for further self conversion, sacrifices for others and prayers for their embrace of Faith, and simply adoring God.  Of course, as Catholics, we realize that no matter what we do, we will endure death and strive for eternal life above our worldly one. Irrespectively, we still fight for health if at all possible.  Moreover, I do not know any oncologist worth his or her degrees who does not observe hawkishly the bodies of cancer patients for signs of recurring cancer and even the potentiality of such.  For those of us genetically predisposed to cancers of all types, the vigilance is even more intense, along with the measures to eradicate cancer festering organs.  Having to accept a mastectomy to reduce a sixty percent chance of cancer to one or two percent is among the scenarios the medical “generals” and cancer warriors are presented every day.  

 
All that presented, I loathe war, ironically perhaps due to being reared in a military family whose father was a career soldier.  He also sought to prevent war, as any reasonable armed forces leader would but with the stipulation that such conflict is necessary at times.  Speaking of, timing is all important.  The current Iranian War resulted from permitting a cancerous ideology from spreading over much of the world’s “body.”  If this extremist theocracy could have been contained within a relatively small region that permitted emigration, we would be talking about a whole different response.

 
Instead, deadly agents were ignored, permitted to fester and spread, and now threaten the larger world body.  Furthermore, attempting to alter the character of these terrorist cells or, at least contain them, has proven futile.  We needed to deliberate the severity and ask:  Are we at Stage Three or Four in terrorism and approaching terminal?  

 
I will not—cannot—debate strategy.  As I cannot judge all the actions my oncologists have prescribed, I still must trust in four principles or questions:  One, are those overseeing this “assault” knowledgeable and capable of determining the best course of action to minimize spread, if not eradication of unjust enemies of life.  Two, are logistics and ordnance planned in such a way as to successfully immobilize or destroy the weapons of mass destruction while minimizing damage to good cells.  Three, what is the long term prognosis?  Will what is being done today increase not just survival but also thriving?  Does not God will that persons living under lethal oppression—still blinded to Truth and Love—be “liberated.”  Four, who makes those decisions and under what circumstances for short and long term planning?

 
In cancer treatment, the good cells die with the bad ones.  That is just the reality of this battlefield.  One could say the good cells are the victims of a particular warfare against the body in all hope of eventual recovery and renewal of function and further maturity.  The ultimate question we must all ask ourselves is this:  To attack or not to attack to serve the mission cherishing life.

 
I will close by saying that my father died from cancer after an incredibly valiant fight against this horrible disease.  Along the way, one could easily see the ravages of cancer, the toll it took on his body.  However, his spirit did not waver.  From what I knew, he never regretted undertaking the battle, understood the plan and its risks, and prudently fought until God indicated His Will for a different outcome.  Like the healthy soldier he was, he faced what others might deem unfair cruelty with almost calm demeanor and resignation, not because he “lost the war” but because he never regretted fighting the good fight and then triumphing to new life.

 
Let us pray for the wisdom of our Commander in Chief, that he be maturely measured along with the military to laser focus on destroying only weaponry and pursuing just outcomes for the region, always considering the persons affected and despising evil even within our identified enemies.  We must make our primary goal the salvation of souls with no or the least harm to their bodies.

 
We cannot and will not eradicate evil, but though I have thus far survived cancer, I do not regret for a moment all the difficulties I faced, in fighting the cancer, physically, emotionally,  psychologically, and spiritually.  

 
I fought in good Faith, so Hope could shine and Charity be my path forward.  May Truth and Love be ever the banner under which we fight any worldly battles, as sadly Original Sin wroughts.