Child in the arms of Love

The loveliest present I’ve received this All Saints’ Day:
the child’s heart in this video https://www.facebook.com/reel/2356993598379199
which has made my day!

Blessed is the simple, spontaneous, wonder-filled heart of a child – it is in the arms of Love!

Did you know that the word ‘Halloween’ is a contraction of the ancient expression ‘All Hallows’ Eve’:

hallow = holy or sacred person (as in the Lord’s Prayer: ‘Hallowed be thy name’ = ‘May your name be holy’).

Eve = the evening before (as in Christmas Eve, the eve of Christmas).

So, ‘All Hallows’ Eve’ literally means ‘the evening before All Saints’ Day’.

The Halloween festival represents the convergence of the Christian faith with Celtic traditions: the festival of Samhain (which is Gaelic and is apparently pronounced ‘sow-in’) once marked the New Year in our part of the world, coinciding with the onset of winter. Our ancestors believed that the night of 31 October to 1 November is a timeless space where the visible and the invisible brush against one another, during which the veil becomes very thin between the world of the living and the Otherworld (where spirits, gods and ancestors dwell) .

I wish for all of us the spontaneous and wonder-filled heart of one who simply throws themselves into the arms of Love!

Happy All Saints’ Day…

rencontre entre Bonne Nouvelle et damné de la terre

Find the English version below, just after the illustration

La théologie de la Libération prend au sérieux le contact direct des plus souffrants avec la Bonne Nouvelle. Par leurs propres expériences de vie et de morts, par leurs chemins de croix et de Vie, ils comprennent vite dans leurs tripes la révolution chantée avec amour et justesse par Marie dans le Magnificat. Ils plongent facilement dans l’accueil du Salut, comme les gens de mauvaises vies dans l’évangile. À ce titre, ils sont des interprètes des Écritures d’une redoutable pertinence. Ils bondissent de joie quand ils découvrent leur dignité intrinsèque aux yeux de Dieu, quand ils comprennent comment la Bible les pousse à briser le fatalisme de leurs misères & des oppressions subies, quand l’Évangile leur donne la force de briser les chaînes de leurs esclavages, aussi quand la Parole de Dieu cesse de faire d’eux des bénéficiaires passifs de la charité, offerte par les plus nantis dans leurs divers assistanats.

La théologie de la Libération veille à enlever tout ce que les riches mettent comme obstacles (d’abord idéologiques) entre les plus démunis et la Révélation de notre Salut ! Bienheureux suis-je quand je découvre que je suis pauvre et sauvé !…

Bienheureux sommes-nous en œcuménisme si nous pouvons reconnaître le charisme de petites Églises très dérangeantes par leur prosélytisme qui hérisse nos poils : elles parviennent souvent mieux que nous à mettre en contact la Bonne Nouvelle et les damnés de la terre. Bienheureux sommes-nous en œcuménisme si nous pouvons travailler main dans la main avec ces pasteurs ‘free-lance’ doués en pastorale bottom-up et non top-down.

C’est ce que j’ai partagé ce 3 octobre 2026, à l’île Maurice, lors de la rencontre très conviviale accueillant parmi nous Anja Vollendorf, présidente de Church and Peace, avec plusieurs membres du Comité de travail Œcuménique. Merci à Françoise et David White (pasteur presbytérien) pour leur accueil. Merci à Mgr Ian Ernest (évêque émérite anglican) pour son témoignage durablement marquant !

Partagé 2 semaines plus tard sur les réseaux sociaux, alors que les misérables gueux foutent le bordel… Illustration trouvée dans un post de Vayu Putra montrant comment l’esclavage continue à tous nous griffer encore aujourd’hui.

Liberation Theology takes seriously the direct encounter of those who suffer most with the Good News. 

Through their own experiences of life and death, through their ways of the Cross and of Life, they quickly grasp in their very being the revolution sung with love and truth by Mary in the Magnificat. They readily embrace Salvation, just as the people of ill repute did in the Gospel. As such, they are interpreters of Scripture of formidable relevance. They leap for joy when they discover their intrinsic dignity in God’s eyes, when they understand how the Bible urges them to break the fatalism of their miseries and the oppression they have suffered, when the Gospel gives them the strength to break the chains of their bondage, and also when the Word of God ceases to treat them as passive recipients of the charity offered by the more affluent through their various forms of welfare.

Liberation Theology seeks to remove all the obstacles (primarily ideological) that the rich place between the most destitute and the Revelation of our Salvation! Blessed am I when I discover that I am poor and saved!…

Blessed are we in ecumenism if we can recognise the charism of small Churches that are highly disruptive through their proselytism, which makes our hair stand on end: they often succeed better than we do in bringing the Good News into contact with the wretched of the earth. Blessed are we in ecumenism if we can work hand in hand with these ‘freelance’ pastors who excel at bottom-up rather than top-down pastoral care.

This is what I shared on 3 October 2026 in Mauritius, during a very convivial gathering which welcomed amongst us Anja Vollendorf, President of Church and Peace, along with several members of the Ecumenical Working Committee. Thank you to Françoise and David White (a Presbyterian minister) for their hospitality. Thank you to the Rt Rev Ian Ernest (Anglican Bishop Emeritus) for his deeply memorable testimony!

Shared two weeks later on social media, whilst those wretched beggars are causing a right old mess… Illustration found in a post by Vayu Putra showing how slavery continues to scar us all even today.

Nous ne baissons pas les bras

English & German below!

Ce vendredi 28 août 2026, nous avons tenu l’AG de Church and Peace, réseau européen œcuménique de paix. Voici la riche et précieuse méditation que Maria Biedrawa nous a offerte en guise d’ouverture. Je vous souhaite de prendre un bon temps avec ce partage, ce regard profond, …selon moi un trésor.

Psaume 11

1 Au chef de chœur. Un psaume de David. Oui, j’ai fait mon refuge de l’Éternel. Pourquoi alors me répéter : « Prends ton vol, comme un passereau, afin de fuir dans les montagnes » ?

2 Vois les méchants bander leur arc, poser leur flèche sur la corde pour tirer dans l’obscurité sur ceux dont le cœur est intègre.

3 Lorsque les fondements vacillent, que peut bien faire l’homme droit ?

4 L’Éternel est dans son saint temple, l’Éternel a son trône au ciel, de ses yeux il observe : il sonde les humains.

5 L’Éternel sonde ceux qui sont justes, mais il déteste le méchant et l’homme épris de violence.

6 Il fait pleuvoir sur les méchants du charbon, du feu et du soufre. Il les expose au vent brûlant : voilà la part qu’il leur réserve.

7 Car l’Éternel est un Dieu juste, et il aime les actes accomplis selon la justice. Les hommes droits verront sa face.

Il y a quelque temps, j’ai été interpellée par un verset de ce psaume qui exprimait exactement le cri de mon cœur :

 Lorsque les fondements vacillent, que peut bien faire l’homme droit ?

C’est toujours étonnant, cet ancrage dans la réalité chez ceux qui prient dans la Bible ! C’est tellement concret. Je peux lire cette phrase en poussant un profond soupir, poser la Bible et me dire : « Regarde comme le psalmiste est réaliste ! »

Ces guerres de plus en plus brutales, le mépris des traités internationaux et de l’État de droit, les discours sur la nécessité de se préparer à la guerre, la crise climatique, etc., ce sentiment d’impuissance. Même lui, le psalmiste, admet que tout cela est sans espoir. Et il l’explique si bien : « Quand les fondements vacillent. » Une belle image, trop vraie ! Alors vraiment, ne m’en voulez pas si je ne parviens pas à recoller les morceaux.

Et le psaume continue ainsi : Dieu semble être très confortablement installé
« dans son temple saint et sur son trône céleste ». Je m’en réjouis pour lui. Mais qu’en est-il de nous ?« Ses yeux contemplent le monde » (v. 4). Oui, d’ailleurs, c’est ce que je fais moi aussi, même si je ne comprends pas tout. Mais très honnêtement, au fond de moi, j’aimerais qu’il fasse quelque chose !

Mais attends un peu, ce verset sur les fondements ébranlés, c’est la fin du verset 2. Qu’est-ce qui précède en fait ? Cela m’avait complètement échappé.

C’est en Dieu que je trouve mon refuge. Comment peux-tu me dire : « prends ton vol, passereau, vers ta montagne ! » (v. 1) – Oh, mais cela change tout ! Cela signifie en effet que je suis avec lui, dans son temple saint, près de son trône céleste – ici, je suis en sécurité. Je ne regarde pas le monde à travers le prisme du journal télévisé, mais d’ici, je vois ce que Dieu voit. Je vois les impies qui aiment la violence. Et je vois peut-être les larmes dans les yeux de Dieu. Mais je constate aussi : je suis en sécurité, protégé dans l’amour de Dieu, quoi qu’il arrive. Je n’ai pas besoin de me réfugier dans « mes » montagnes. Dans les versets qui suivent, il n’y a pas de place pour l’apitoiement sur soi-même ou le sentimentalisme, mais pour une conviction : ne t’enfuis pas d’ici ! Peut-être devras-tu, au sens géographique, quitter un lieu pour sauver ta vie, mais ne cherche pas à fuir l’amour de Dieu pour le monde. Ne te résigne pas !

Car Dieu me murmure quelque chose à l’oreille, dans le cœur : « Le Vivant est juste, et il aime la justice » (v. 7).

Alors qu’au début j’avais lu ce verset en soupirant, je l’entends désormais comme un appel, comme une promesse de Dieu : Si tu aimes vraiment la justice, laisse-moi déverser en toi toutes mes réserves de justice et agir à travers toi, avec toi et en toi. J’entends l’apôtre Paul dire (Romains 11, 29) :
« Dieu ne regrette pas d’avoir fait des dons et d’avoir appelé des hommes et des femmes par sa grâce. »

Mon Dieu, me voici, nous voici devant Toi. Toi, le Juste, au milieu de nous, en nous. Toi, le Juste, guéris notre mémoire jusqu’à la bénédiction originelle ; jusqu’au moment où Tu as voulu que nous devenions coopérateurs de Ta création ; jusqu’au moment où Tu nous as humblement demandé de devenir des serviteurs de la paix et de la réconciliation. Guéris notre mémoire jusqu’au jour où le ciel s’est assombri, où la terre a tremblé et où Jésus est mort sur la croix, et où nous avons compris : désormais, unis en Christ, assemblés en un seul corps, en un seul temple (Éph 2,21), nous sommes appelés et équipés (rendus aptes) pour vivre, en tant qu’enfants de Dieu, loin de tout ce qui n’est pas la volonté de Dieu, et pour marcher dans la droiture : « pratiquer la justice, aimer la miséricorde et marcher humblement avec notre Dieu » (Michée 6,8), car le Christ est la pierre angulaire (Éphésiens 2,20). Dieu n’a pas baissé les bras. Alors, faisons ce que nous devons faire, ensemble, et en son nom.

cross-national civic mobilisation for ‘civil’ peace

Our Western armed forces are actively preparing for war. And our governments are dragging us into it through a sharp increase in military spending. What about you? What about me? What about us, civil society? Are we sufficiently mobilised to develop all the initiatives that can help ward off the threats of war? There are countless initiatives that defuse the traps of poorly managed conflicts and prevent fratricidal violence! There are so many races to run, as an alternative to the arms race that seems to be imposed on us, with « no alternatives »… For example, strengthening ties between citizens living in Western and Eastern Europe. I am involved in the European network Church and Peace. The more of us there are, the closer we get to the critical mass we need for a solidly organised, cross-national civic mobilisation for social cohesion – for ‘civil’ peace. What if you joined your voice to ours for other paths than militarization? If you feel inspired to do so, please visit our website: https://www.church-and-peace.org/en/ and read our newsletters!

Leaders from the Belgian medical sector are also speaking out against militarisation, calling on our government to invest in preventive measures to avoid war and prevent conflicts from escalating into war: https://www.lesoir.be/758750/article/2026-07-11/pourquoi-les-travailleurs-des-soins-de-sante-doivent-sopposer-la-militarisation

Here are some extracts:

“If we listen to our politicians, the past year gives the impression that war has become inevitable. […] Yet what is best for our health is no war at all. […] Our country is experiencing one of the sharpest rises in military spending in Europe. By 2035, no less than 34 billion euros in investment is planned. The annual budget has risen from 3.9 billion in 2015 to nearly 13 billion in 2026. By 2035, a further 12 billion will be added – enough to fund the entire careers of several thousand nurses! […] Our sector is one of the main targets of the government’s budgetary decisions. […] According to the current militarist rhetoric, spending on healthcare and social security must be cut to guarantee our military security. […] We believe that political authorities must opt for intensive diplomacy rather than massive militarisation.

The new ‘defence bill’ being prepared by the government provides that, in the event of an emergency, the army could requisition nursing staff, medical equipment and even stocks of plasma and blood. Without taking working conditions or rights into account, the army could issue orders to healthcare staff, even if these run counter to the ethical and professional principles that govern our profession.

Instead of investing in the areas where needs are greatest in Belgium, investment would be channelled primarily towards whatever the army decides.

In Germany, where the militarisation of healthcare is already well advanced, the government stipulates that the construction of new hospitals or departments must be aligned with the logic of a potential ‘Eastern Front’. In practical terms, beds could only be made available if they meet the army’s needs in the event of a conflict with Russia. Army representatives would also sit on hospital planning committees and could intervene in hospital triage ‘in the event of a crisis’. […] As civilian doctors and healthcare workers, we want to help prevent any war through diplomacy and conflict management. And should a war break out, we want to be able to provide humanitarian aid without discrimination” (numerous signatories, including a doctor and former minister).

Today is 14 July! Dear French neighbours, happy Festival of Just Peace! Keep ploughing the furrows of just peace…

Check, Thomas, My Brother…

Saint Thomas is portrayed as the figure of the doubting man, the sceptic.

But what if we were to highlight the fact that he is an authentic man? He is on a journey; he dares to express his need for tangible proof.

His name is Didymus (= the twin)— how wonderful that he felt the need to break free from mere conformity! He is no blind follower, he takes care to make faith his own, culminating in one of the most beautiful declarations in the Bible: “My Lord and my God!” Blessed unbelief that led to such a personal encounter between the Risen Christ and this particular disciple, culminating in a mature and responsible profession of faith!

What if Saint Thomas were presented as the modern-day figure of the man who was not baptised as a baby but asks for baptism after a meaningful, intentional journey in truth?

Image: Rembrandt, The Incredulity of Saint Thomas, 1634.

I really hesitated to let my inner Ouistiti (a mischievous monkey) pollute this Rembrandt masterpiece with puns (check = verify AND commune in youth slang, fist bump / cool attitude!). Sorry for this trendy, youth-oriented twist…

The law of the strongest ≠ true peace

Texte en français plus bas !

We speak of Pax Romana, Pax Mongolica, Pax Britannica, Pax Americana, etc., when international life enjoys a period of sufficient stability because one of its actors is powerful enough to impose its own law, punish transgressions, bring less powerful actors into line, and even directly interfere in conflicts between such secondary actors.

Such hegemonic peace is possible because of overwhelming military superiority. Throughout history, the strongest power has always developed a narrative legitimising its military domination and economic exploitation, highlighting the benefits of the peace it offers: the Romans secured the Mediterranean routes, the Mongols the Silk Road, the British the shipping lanes, the Americans global finance (the dollar = the global reference currency), the space lanes, and not to mention, the virtual pathways…

The hegemonic power uses its ideology of peace to claim the right to monopolise legitimate violence in the name of its civilising mission, and for the common good.

Of course, it is in our interest to look beneath the layers of ideological veneer and identify when invisible infrastructures function according to the law of the jungle; where “Nature” teaches that an Alpha male who has succeeded in imposing his order (established dominant disorder) can know in advance what his fate will be: when he is supplanted, he will pay dearly for what he has done to others. Such is the price to pay for peace through superiority rather than through negotiation between actors respected as equals in dignity and considered as equals in fundamental rights and duties, regardless of their physical, military or economic power. This utopia of equal dignity among actors inspired the creation of the UN, even as the world seemed to be emerging from the Second World War through a multilateralism based on the balance of terror… True peace is built century by century, step by step, overcoming the law of the strongest.

To hear two minor actors defending their own ideology in the present moment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLM1prACQ1Y. I am sharing this document to encourage us all to be critically aware of the ideological mechanisms of discourse, not to take a position for or against anyone… i am for the peace in the mutual respect!

On parle de Pax Romana, Pax Mongolica, Pax Britannica, Pax Americana, etc., quand la vie internationale jouit d’une période de stabilité suffisamment satisfaisante du fait qu’un de ses acteurs est assez puissant pour imposer sa propre loi, en punir les transgressions, mettre au pas les acteurs moins puissants que lui, au point d’interférer directement dans des conflits entre de tels acteurs secondaires.

Une telle paix hégémonique est possible à cause d’une supériorité militaire écrasante. Dans l’Histoire, à chaque fois, le plus fort développe un narratif légitimant sa domination militaire et ses exploitations économiques, en montrant les bienfaits de la paix qu’il offre : les Romains ont sécurisé les routes méditerranéennes, les Mongoles la route de la soie, les Britanniques les voies de navigation, les États-Uniens la finance mondiale (le dollar = la devise de référence mondiale), les voies de l’espace et j’en passe sur les chemins virtuels…

La puissance hégémonique se sert de son idéologie de paix pour revendiquer le droit à monopoliser la violence légitime, au nom de sa mission civilisatrice et pour le Bien commun.

Bien sûr, nous avons intérêt à regarder sous les couches des vernis idéologiques et repérer quand les infrastructures invisibles fonctionnent comme dans la loi de la jungle, là où « la Nature » enseigne qu’un mâle Alpha qui a réussi à imposer son ordre (désordre dominant établi), peut savoir à l’avance quel sera son sort : quand il sera supplanté, il paiera cash ce qu’il a fait subir aux autres. Tel est le prix à payer d’une paix par la supériorité et non par la négociation entre acteurs respectés comme égaux en dignité, considérés comme égaux en droits et en devoirs fondamentaux, indépendamment de leur puissance physique, militaire ou économique. Cette utopie d’égale dignité entre acteurs a inspiré la création de l’ONU, alors même que le monde semblait sortir de la Deuxième guerre mondiale par un multilatéralisme basé sur l’équilibre des terreurs… La paix véritable se construit de siècle en siècle, à petits pas, en dépassant pas à pas la loi du plus fort.

Pour entendre deux acteurs secondaires défendant leur propre idéologie dans le moment présent : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLM1prACQ1Y. Je partage ce document pour nous encourager tou.te.s à une conscience critique sur les mécanismes idéologiques des discours, pas pour prendre position pour ou contre qui que ce soit…

Que vive la paix !

Same text in English, below!

« …bénir le nationalisme, justifier religieusement la violence et la lutte armée : les croyants doivent réfuter activement, avant tout par leur vie, ces formes de blasphème qui obscurcissent le Saint Nom de Dieu. […] C’est la voie désarmante de la diplomatie, de la médiation, du droit international, démentie malheureusement par de plus en plus fréquentes violations d’accords difficilement obtenus, dans un contexte qui nécessiterait non pas la délégitimation, mais bien plutôt le renforcement des institutions supranationales.  […] La force dissuasive de la puissance, et en particulier la dissuasion nucléaire, incarnent l’irrationalité d’une relation entre les peuples fondée non pas sur le droit, la justice et la confiance, mais sur la peur et la domination de la force. […] La paix existe, elle veut habiter en nous, elle a le pouvoir doux d’éclairer et d’élargir l’intelligence, elle résiste à la violence et la vainc. La paix a le souffle de l’éternité : alors qu’on crie ‘assez’ au mal, on murmure ‘pour toujours’ à la paix. […] Même dans les lieux où il ne reste que des ruines et où le désespoir semble inévitable, nous trouvons aujourd’hui même ceux qui n’ont pas oublié la paix. […] Entamer en soi-même ce désarmement du cœur, de l’esprit et de la vie auquel Dieu ne tardera pas à répondre en accomplissant ses promesses » (Léon XIV, 59ème journée mondiale de la paix, 1er janvier 2026).

« …to bless nationalism, and to justify violence and armed struggle in the name of religion. Believers must actively refute, above all by the witness of their lives, these forms of blasphemy that profane the holy name of God. […] This is the disarming path of diplomacy, mediation and international law, which is sadly too often undermined by the growing violations of hard-won treaties, at a time when what is needed is the strengthening of supranational institutions, not their delegitimization. […] The idea of the deterrent power of military might, especially nuclear deterrence, is based on the irrationality of relations between nations, built not on law, justice and trust, but on fear and domination by force. […] Peace exists; it wants to dwell within us.  It has the gentle power to enlighten and expand our understanding; it resists and overcomes violence. Peace is a breath of the eternal: while to evil we cry out “Enough,” to peace we whisper “Forever”. […] Even in places where only rubble remains, and despair seems inevitable, we still find people who have not forgotten peace. […] To begin within ourselves that disarmament of heart, mind and life. God will surely respond to this by fulfilling his promises » (Léon XIV, LIX WORLD DAY OF PEACE, 1st January 2026).

The foundations of authentic peace

“So many parts of the world remain trapped in cycles of violence and despair. Let us receive the greeting of Leo XIV on the evening of his election from the central Loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica, simple and profound: « a disarming and unarmed peace, humble and persevering ». It captures the heart of the Holy See’s vision: a peace not forged by arms, nor guaranteed by threats or deterrents, but born of love, sustained by justice and rooted in the dignity of every human being. A truly Catholic peace, in the primary sense of the word  »katholikós’, which means ‘universal’. Peace is much more than the absence of war; it is the presence of just relations, it is an enterprise of justice, founded on truth, charity, freedom and the inviolable dignity of the human person which is its cornerstone. Every human life is sacred. No peace is possible if a single life is considered sacrificable / expendable.
This enterprise of true peace follows the path of integral human development (of all dimensions of the human person and of all peoples of the earth), which gives priority to the common good  (peace must be at the service of all, not only of the strongest, but especially of the poor, the displaced, the forgotten) and of solidarity (we are not isolated individuals, but a human family. Peace is born from interdependence). War is the failure of politics and humanity (Richard Gallagher, Secretary of the Holy See for Relations with States and International Organizations, at the Globsec 2025 Forum on World Peace Building in Prague, 12-14 June 2025; https://forum2025.globsec.org/).

I give you my grimoire
to heal your memory

Restoring our greatness

Restoring national ‘greatness’ was essential for Hitler, after the humiliations suffered by Germany following the First World War. How many millions of human beings did he drag down with him?

Restoring national ‘greatness’ is essential for Putin, after the humiliations suffered by Russians following the collapse of the Soviet Union. How many millions of people is he dragging down with him?

Restoring national ‘greatness’ is essential for Trump, to ward off the inexorable end of American imperialism… How many millions of people is he dragging down with him?

Restoring the greatness of his Kingdom of Justice and Peace is essential for the Son of God, after the choices of power made by human beings through their so-called just wars. How many millions of human beings is he bringing into his salvation?

Here is the dream of a concert of peaceful Nations, with their leaders united in ‘We are the world’:
https://www.youtube.com\/watch?v=D_WQ7XwbiSQ
(impressive A.I. allowing us to see and hear such a dream)…

Gentle sunrise dispelling the darkness

Version française :

The Bible teaches us that the light of Truth and Love prevails over the Forces of Evil like the dawn: a gentle daybreak dispelling the darkness, without fighting, without noise, humbly AND at the same time irresistibly, in the quiet strength of righteous power. This is recounted in the very last book of the Bible. Cf. my article: Revelation reveals the radical asymmetry of ends and means between the God of Jesus Christ and the Prince of this world. Excerpt:

‘The ‘last of the last’ of wars will resemble the implosion of a house of cards. The last book of the Bible, the Apocalypse of Saint John, speaks of the battle of Armageddon at the end of time. Spontaneously, our imaginations expect this final battle between the Forces of Good and Evil to be grandiose, on a par with the bloodiest mythological tales. The seventh art has made a spectacle of it, and the special effects of the most recent films add to the horror. Yet the biblical text tells a sobering tale of a non-battle: ‘The spirits of the demons gathered them to Armageddon. Out of the temple came a loud voice from the throne: it is done! The great city was broken into 3 parts and the cities of the nations collapsed’ (Rev 16:16-19). The loud voice signals the coming of God, before whom everything that has no eternal value crumbles like a house of cards, fragile on the inside. It implodes from its hollow belly, from its inanity.

Here’s what Wilbert Kreiss had to say: ‘Strange! We’re witnessing a general mobilisation and we’re expecting a terrible confrontation, a truly apocalyptic war, and nothing happens! There’s no fighting. There is no eschatological war between Christ surrounded by his angels and the infernal hordes mobilised by Satan. There has never been and there never will be a battle on the mountain of Megiddo. The battle of Armageddon, the millenarian’s violin d’Ingres, is not an event, but a non-event, and that is why it is not recounted in the text. Nor is the simulacrum of war mentioned in Revelation 20:7-10, which is nothing but a farce”

In the chapters preceding this bizarre war, the Johannine Letter plunged us into an appalling outburst of violence, with its attendant suffering and oppression. But their frenzied rage, enacted to its climax, is the very harbinger of their imminent self-destruction, like a fire dying of starvation. Finding nothing left to burn, it burns itself out at the end of its mad race. At the end of time, Evil will no longer find the answer it needs to survive. Throughout history, it has succeeded in inflaming the hearts and minds that have fuelled its infernal inferno. He has seduced the world, and he has also led the forces of the Church astray, dragging them along in this race to his doom. In the same apocalyptic vein, the Book of Daniel also warned of this fury linked to the end of the world, of these final jolts of a beast that dies after spitting out its venom. After the gesticulations of its last-ditch struggle, evil will no longer be able to achieve its goal, which is to generate evil. It will find itself alone, in the prison it has built for itself. […] The Prince of Darkness and his emissaries can give nothing but things that they have received from their Creator and perverted. Satan would so much like us to take him for the Saviour of the world, but he is the wolf in the clothing of Little Red Riding Hood’s grandmother… Revelation warns us by revealing the inconsistency and evil of his anti-creation project. His works are antics and deception. They are a sham. He will be like a beast that dies after spitting its venom’.