Hello Father L.
I have a priest cousin who works in a parish near the Army headquarters. He told me that he had just recently been asked to bless, in the absence of the military chaplain at that headquarters, the newly acquired assault rifles and guns in the headquarters’ armory and the soldiers who will be using them. While my priest cousin was amused by it, I was not. The question was simple: Why would the Church bless guns, tools that can kill?
James
Dear James,
Guns are just tools, they can be used for good or for bad depending on the user. The blessings actually pertain to the people using those items. Hence, while your priest cousin blessed the guns he also blessed the army that would use them. While the Church condemns needless war, she never ceases to pray for the soldiers sent to fight and prays their fight will be in the pursuit of justice and defense of the defenseless. It’s for this reason that a blessing for weapons exists, the Benedictio Armorum.
At first sight, it may look confusing. But if we travel from the Old Testament to today, the meaning becomes clear.
1. War and God’s Protection in the Old Testament
Israel was a people who often faced battles. In the wilderness and in the promised land, they had to defend themselves against enemies. Before they went to war, the priests blessed the soldiers and the weapons of battle, calling on God to give them victory and to fight on their side. In Deuteronomy 20:1–4, the priest encouraged the army: “Do not fear, for the Lord your God goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you victory. “In Joshua 6, the fall of Jericho showed that success in war was not just about weapons, but about God’s blessing. In 1 Samuel 17, David faced Goliath not trusting in sword or spear alone, but in the Lord who gives victory. So even in Israel’s battles, weapons were not seen as instruments of hatred, but as tools entrusted to men who were under God’s command to protect the nation.
2. Justice, Not Violence in the New Testament
With Christ, the focus shifted. Jesus rebuked Peter for using the sword in anger (John 18:11), showing that violence for revenge or hatred has no place in the Gospel. Yet, the New Testament did not abolish just defense. John the Baptist told soldiers in Luke 3:14: “Do not extort, do not abuse, be content with your pay.” He did not tell them to abandon soldiering. St. Paul in Romans 13:4 taught that the authority “does not bear the sword in vain,” but as a servant of God to protect the innocent and restrain evil. Thus, the New Testament teaches that arms must serve justice, not cruelty.
3. Blessing of Arms in the History of the Church
As Christianity grew, wars never disappeared. In the Middle Ages, when knights were called to defend the weak and the Church, the Church began to bless swords, shields, and banners. This was not approval of bloodshed, but a reminder: “Use this power only to defend the innocent, never for greed or oppression.” These blessings carried a moral weight, soldiers had to remember that their strength came with responsibility before God.
4. Blessing Guns and Soldiers in the Modern World
Today, when priests, military chaplains, and bishops bless firearms or military equipment, it is in continuity with this history. The blessing is not for killing, but for protection. It is a prayer that: soldiers may act with restraint, using their weapons they may defend the weak and peace be restored quickly. The presence of military personnel during such blessings shows the link: it is not the weapon itself that is central, but the soul of the soldier holding it.
5. The Church’s Vision of Peace
The Church blesses weapons today for the same reason Israel prayed before battle: not because violence is good, but because life must be protected. Yet, the Church also looks beyond war. She waits for the day when Isaiah’s prophecy will be fulfilled: “They shall beat their swords into plowshares… and learn war no more” (Isaiah 2:4). Until that day comes, the Church prays over soldiers and their arms, not to glorify bloodshed, but to guide them toward justice, mercy, and peace. A blessed weapon is not a holy toy. It is a call to use strength with wisdom, to defend the weak with courage, and to fight only so that peace may reign.
Sincerely,
Father L.
Letters are welcome at: OClarimEnglish2022@gmail.com
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