I would like to add: How blessed are those who practice the Gospel as hermits, pacifists and anarchists! I am deeply grateful to them for their wholehearted response to the Good News and, contrastingly, I realize that I am existentially hedging to some extent by availing myself of the benefits of government. It is they who provide the world the most unambiguous and prophetic witness to Gospel ideals and who most keep green the desire for the Kingdom within my heart.
Only a cynical lawyering of Scripture can justify any measure of violence as Christ-like. In my view, then, when the Church articulates just war principles or sanctions civil government, this does not at all suggest a theoretical capitulation to worldly norms but, instead, entails its practical accommodation to our radical human finitude and sinfulness born out of a compassionate pastoral response to our weakness. By forming, reforming and transforming our desires, the church thus helps us navigate away from greater evils through lesser evils even as She helps us move more swiftly and with less hindrance from lesser goods through greater goods to even the Highest Good!
The hermit, pacifist and anarchist have found a Treasure in life's field. I have found a treasure in you, the church, who'll compassionately help me even though I cannot wholeheartedly find my way there, myself.
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