This year marks the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. On August 6, 1945, in Hiroshima alone, around 700,000 people were killed instantly, with the death toll doubling by year’s end. That moment of nuclear devastation changed the world forever. Or did it?
Today, wars rage across the globe: between Israel and Hamas, spilling into Lebanon, Yemen, Iran, and Syria; between Russia and Ukraine; and civil wars in Myanmar and Sudan; just to mention a few. Militant insurgencies and communal violence plague countries in Africa and Asia. Hundreds of thousands of combatants have been killed or maimed. Millions of civilians have been injured, displaced, or forced to flee. Poverty and injustice condemn millions to lives of relentless struggle and quiet suffering.
In Australia, antisemitism and Islamophobia are on the rise, along with right-wing white supremacist groups. A woman dies at the hands of her partner each week due to domestic violence. Criminal gangs carry out shootings in suburban streets. Verbal disputes escalate into stabbings. Add to this the environmental degradation, climate change, habitat loss, extinction of species, and the erosion of biodiversity. Hostility, violence, and destruction seem pervasive.
Reflecting on this worldwide carnage, I recalled a story: A Native American grandfather was talking to his grandson about how he felt after a tragedy had befallen their tribe. He said, “I feel as if there are two wolves fighting in my heart. One is vengeful, angry, and violent. The other is loving, compassionate, and forgiving.” The grandson asked, “Which wolf will win?” The grandfather replied, “The one I feed.”
Yes, if we feed on anger, stereotypes, and fear of others, and are all too ready to believe the worst about them, conflict, enmity, violence and killings will continue to ravage our world. But if we nurture mercy, kindness, compassion and forgiveness, peace can take root and grow. However, there is a deeper, more nuanced interpretation of the Native American story, one that is not just about “winning” or “losing”, but about reconciliation and integration. Psychologically, if we favour only one part of our emotional energies and suppress others, if we attend to some dimensions of our lives and ignore others, the neglected parts will be resentful, fester and demand attention. Inner conflict leads to restlessness and a lack of peace.
True peace comes when we face our inner demons, reconcile with our shadow selves, and acknowledge their legitimate place in our lives. When the two wolves within us are no longer enemies but companions, we find true harmony. The pervasive violence in our world stems from the unrestrained pursuit of partial, sectarian interests. The perpetrators fail to see others as brothers and sisters - each made in the image of God, equally loved and of inestimable value. They dehumanize the objects of their ire, calling them brutes, animals, or vermin - words that justify their extermination. As Jesus said, “What comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart… For out of the heart come evil intentions, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander.” (Mt 15:18–19)
Living in this violent world, let us strive to reduce the hostility and animosity. Let us rise above the narrow sectarian interests that divide people and instead promote our common humanity. Let us transcend the tribal partisanship that separates us from others and find a perspective that unites. Let us listen deeply and attend to conflicting needs and concerns – even when they are confronting. Let us see the whole picture, where each person plays a necessary part. Let us reconcile the wolves fighting within our hearts - and within our world - and become true instruments of peace.
Rev Dr Patrick McInerney
Regional Director of Oceania
directoroceania@columban.org.au
Listen to "From the Director - Integrating our shadows to heal the world"
Related links
- Read more from The Far East - September/October 2025
