Day of prayer for world peace
The Bishops of England and Wales invite us to make today a day of prayer for world peace, using the theme proposed by Pope Francis: ‘Artificial Intelligence & Peace’. It might seem a strangely technical, rather abstract title, of limited interest except to experts.
But new technologies are developing so quickly that we need to think about their consequences for our freedom, peace and security. Who is gaining power through AI – and who is being disempowered? We also need to think of the risk of Artificial Intelligence, which will only have as much soul and ethical vision as those who programme it, calling the shots on the battlefield, deciding who lives and who dies – and possibly one day even triggering wars automatically.
Today’s Scriptures put us in touch with what makes us most fully human, what distinguishes us from machines – identity, belonging and calling. God calls Samuel by name and he has to learn how to reply. Our individual uniqueness always belongs within a larger identity, that of the Body of Christ (as St Paul reminds us). And to each of us, Jesus extends the invitation ‘Come and see’. Let us ask him to guide us through the ‘Brave New World’ which we have created and to forgive us for the ways in which we fail to live out our calling.
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| John 1: 39 'Come and See' |