The words and actions of U.S. President Donald Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, and key officials reveal how quickly chaotic thinking unsettles our sense of security.

Their rhetoric disrupts the relationships that sustain society. The new U.S. government has exposed the fragility of post-World War II stability, showing that peace, freedom, and affluence are not guaranteed.

Chaos turns allies into adversaries, keeping them apart through fear. Trust erodes, casting others as threats. Conversations deteriorate into suspicion and hostility, ultimately severing ties. Former friends become “the Other”—stripped of shared humanity.

Hatred flourishes in chaos, fueling violent words and actions. Division justifies aggression. Neighbours turn against each other. Those afraid for their safety choose silence.

Chaos distorts truth, reducing it to a tool of convenience. In this vacuum, people seek “strong” leaders who present themselves as saviours. But these figures are false prophets. Their “strength” is not prophetic—it thrives on division and violence. True prophetic leadership embraces all people equally, regardless of creed, ethnicity, gender, or status.

Resentment, shaped by falsehoods, categorises people as “winners” or “losers,” “clean” or “unclean,” “righteous” or “evil.” It draws artificial lines between races, religions, and histories. It fractures families and communities.

Rooted in fear and hatred, resentment denies our shared humanity. It speaks of “Jewish blood,” “Christian blood,” “Muslim blood,” “Hindu blood,” “African blood,” or “Asian blood”—ignoring that blood has no ethnicity, religion, or gender. It deems some lives expendable, others worth defending—solely based on utility.

The most terrifying aspect of chaos is how it exposes our limitations. We struggle to comprehend unfolding disorder. Blinded by resentment, we fail to see our role in it. As chaos dismantles order, we grasp for meaning.

It is easy to feel abandoned, as if God has “left the building.” Political opportunists exploit this, twisting faith, hope, and love into tools of division. Yet these virtues are divine gifts, given freely. They must be practiced daily—with neighbours, family, and strangers—so they extend universally.

Chaos seeks to extinguish hope, erode faith, and distort love into exclusion. Yet true Faith, Hope, and Love endure. As the Eucharistic Prayer affirms, hatred can be overcome by love, revenge by forgiveness, and discord by unity.

Einstein said, “The stupid need order; the genius masters chaos.” A better translation might be: “Most require order, but a genius discerns potential within chaos.”

Such individuals offer leadership in turmoil. They see beyond immediate disorder to a path forward.

In a world shaped by chaos, Isaiah’s vision—“the wolf shall live with the lamb”—may seem distant, but remains possible. If we hold onto Faith, Hope, and Love, we find our guide in the Cross. Human hatred is powerless against divine love.

• Dr Joe Grayland is an assistant lecturer in the Department of Liturgy at the University of Wuerzburg (Germany). He has also been a priest of the Catholic Diocese of Palmerston North (New Zealand) for more than 30 years.
• Flashes of Insight is an international publication. The editorial policy is that spelling reflects the country of origin.