The answer
St. Augustine justifies war if the appropriate motive for it is love. He argues that what is done out of love for God must be good. He says, "We do not seek peace in order to be at war, but we go to war that we may have peace. Be peaceful, therefore, in warring, so that you may vanquish those whom you war against, and bring them to the prosperity of peace."Our Church does not promote war; our Lord Jesus Christ is the King of peace. War should only be a last resort when everything else fails. During war, the Church prays for peace, repentance, and the defeat of our true enemy, the devil.
Answered by His Eminence Metropolitan Youssef (opens in a new tab)