"Prayer is not a refuge in which to hide from our responsibilities, nor an anesthetic to numb the pain provoked by so much injustice. Rather, it is the most selfless, universal and transformative response to death: we are a people who are already risen! Within each of us, within every human being, the interior Teacher teaches peace, urges us toward encounter and inspires us to make supplication. Let us rise from the rubble! Nothing can confine us to a predetermined fate, not even in this world where there never seem to be enough graves, for people continue to crucify one another and eliminate life, with no regard to justice and mercy.
Prayer teaches us how to act. In prayer, our limited human possibilities are joined to the infinite possibilities of God. Thoughts, words and deeds then break the demonic cycle of evil and are placed at the service of the Kingdom of God. A Kingdom in which there is no sword, no drone, no vengeance, no trivialization of evil, no unjust profit, but only dignity, understanding and forgiveness. It is here that we find a bulwark against that delusion of omnipotence that surrounds us and is becoming increasingly unpredictable and aggressive.
Even the holy Name of God, the God of life, is being dragged into discourses of death. A world of brothers and sisters with one heavenly Father vanishes, as in a nightmare, giving way to a reality populated by enemies. We are met by threats, rather than the invitation to listen and to come together. Brothers and sisters, those who pray are aware of their own limitations; they do not kill or threaten with death. Instead, death enslaves those who have turned their backs on the living God, turning themselves and their own power into a mute, blind and deaf idol, to which they sacrifice every value, demanding that the whole world bend its knee."
Pope Leo XIV, Prayer Vigil for Peace, Rome April 11, 2026
"The dazzling and consuming act of pride that transformed the angel of light into an angel and prince of darkness condemned him to an insatiable, and therefore desperate, need to acquire. The loss of the wellspring of life gives rise to an essentially inextinguishable thirst. The entire world can not fill the emptiness which the awareness of having left their rightful place in the world forms in the heart of a creature.
Having fallen from the eternal, Satan's desires are endless and insatiable. Having fallen from pure Being, he seeks to possess. But the problem is forever insoluble. For in order to have and possess, it would be necessary to have life, to Be, and he is connected to life no longer. All he takes into himself he destroys."
Denis de Rougemont, La Part du Diable, Switzerland, 1944
"They devoted themselves
to the teachings of the apostles and to fellowship,
to the breaking of bread and to the prayers. Amazement and awe came upon everyone,
and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. All who believed were together and had all things in common;
they would sell their property and possessions
and divide them among all according to each one’s need. Every day they devoted themselves
to meeting together in the temple area
and to breaking bread in their homes. They ate their meals with joy and sincerity of heart,
praising God and enjoying respect among all the people. And every day the Lord added to the number of those who were being saved."
Acts 2:42-47
“When we leave this church tonight, we must move beyond prayer. As citizens and believers in this democracy that we cherish so deeply, we must advocate for peace with our representatives and leaders. It is not enough to say we have prayed. We must also act. For it is very possible that the negotiations will fail because of recalcitrance on both sides, and the president will move to re-enter this immoral war. At that critical juncture, as disciples of Jesus Christ called to be peacemakers in the world, we must answer vocally and in unison: 'No. Not in our name. Not at this moment. Not with our country.'”
Cardinal Robert McElroy, Homily Vigil Mass for Peace, Washington DC, 11 April 2026
The 'deal' for an enduring ceasefire between the US/Israel - Iran fell apart rather quickly this weekend. I am sure you can read about the questionable conduct and progress of the discussions for yourself.
And on Sunday evening the stock futures opened significantly lower as one might have expected, given that they had recently rallied sharply on word of the ceasefire and discussions.
But fear not, as is customary on a Monday these days, stocks were elevated higher by steady program buying that squeezed all the precautionary shorts from over the weekend, and then some.
This is a familiar play, in my opinion orchestrated and promoted by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, with his facilities in the ESF, and his cronies in hedge funds and Wall Street.
The Dollar took a serious dive.
Gold and silver were hit hard overnight, but eventually took back their losses and posted modest gains.
Even Bitcoin managed to gain back everything it had lost over the weekend, and ended up where it closed on Friday evening.
So, great success, right?
Welcome to Fantasy Island.
If you have not figured out yet what is happening, and the risks that are involved, then I probably won't be able to say anything that can penetrate and persuade.
You will just have to see.
This is certain to become more interesting. I would, however, like to be watching this unfold from a much greater distance.
Have a pleasant evening.












