When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. 1 Peter 2:23
Joseph and Michael Hofer (1918)
Pacifists Penalised
In the summer of 1918, pacifist brothers Joseph, Michael and David Hofer, and their brother-in-law Jacob, were drafted into the US army. Because war went against their Christian beliefs, they objected, and were immediately arrested. The Hofers belonged to the Hutterites, a group of pacifist Christians that originated in 16th century Europe.
Following a court martial, they were sent to Alcatraz prison in San Francisco Bay where, for four months, they endured beatings and brutality before being transferred to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Here they suffered further, by being starved and chained for eight hours a day to the bars of their cells for two weeks. This harsh treatment took its toll and Joseph died at the end of November 1918. Soon after, on 2 December, Michael also died. David was immediately released in a desperate attempt by the authorities to prevent the brothers becoming martyrs in the public eye.
Jacob, who was not released until April 1919, wrote while in prison, “Why must only I continue to suffer? But then there is joy, too, so that I could weep for joy when I think that the Lord considers me worthy to suffer a little for his sake.”
Let our mouth be filled with thy praise, O Lord, that we may sing of thy glory, for that thou hast counted us worthy to partake of thy holy, divine, immortal and life-giving mysteries: preserve thou us in thy holiness, that we may learn of thy righteousness all the day long. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.
Liturgy of John Chrysostom (c. 347-407) and Basil the Great (c. 330-79)