We live in a time where the word “peace” is invoked almost daily. It is invoked as a cry for help or an antidote to the reality of conflict that seems ever present. We experience an ongoing news cycle of war and its casualties, headlines about senseless violence committed against each other, and the culture of death that seeks to eradicate the unborn and most vulnerable in our society. Yes … this is a hard opening to an article entitled “Hope in Peace,” but it is also a call to look at peace differently, more broadly. In this article, we will explore peace as an intentional effort of our faith in action not just a solution to conflict.
Peace making
There is a common quote about peace that is attributed to many people, and its origins likely extend well into antiquity. “Peace is not just and absence of conflict, but … ” an effort, a virtue, an alternative, justice, etc. It is this second part of the phrase that I find the core principle of peace making. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that “Earthly peace is the image and fruit of the peace of Christ” (CCC 2305) and further quotes the Gospel of Matthew 5:9 with “Blessed are the peacemakers.” Peace can be experienced through a cease-fire, but lasting peace requires a change of heart. We are called to offer peace as a prerequisite for receiving peace. In Pope St. John Paul II’s address to Nobel Laureates in 1999, he reminds us that “For Christians, the basis of human dignity is found in God’s love for each person, without exception; and true peace is a gift constantly offered and constantly received.” Living our faith in action, by being a peacemaker can transform situations of tension into opportunities for reconciliation.
Sign of peace
Each celebration of the Eucharist we are offered a blessing of peace from the priest at the altar, often followed by an opportunity to offer each other a “sign of peace.” This small gesture to a neighbor in the pew during the highest point of solemnity in the Mass is one that I find beautiful. We stop in the presence of the Lord for a brief moment to acknowledge others around us who also are in the presence of the Lord. It is together that we come to the table to receive the Prince of Peace himself. This little pause says “we are at peace” right here, right now, thanks be to God. In our Western culture, we are not accustomed to greeting other in peace on a daily basis, yet I have a few friends that embrace this gift openly. We always begin with “peace be with you” and end with “peace brother/sister.” Maybe we should try this more broadly in our society, as a sign of peace during an otherwise stormy environment. Words matter, and what better way to demonstrate that with a friend, a colleague, a neighbor.
Little by little
In Pacem in Terris or Peace on Earth, Pope St. John XXIII writes during the mid-20th century about the roles and responsibilities of individuals, states, and society at large to promote peace. This document would be a recommended re-read for anyone in authority today. Near the end of this lengthy encyclical, a reminder about how change happens gradually is apropos for our culture today; a culture that is fixated on undoing everything that the other side has put in place … again, again, and again like a game of ping pong. Pope John writes, “Far from bringing about the reconciliation of contending parties, it reduces men and political parties to the necessity of laboriously redoing the work of the past, building on the ruins that disharmony has left in its wake.” Whether in our politics, societal conventions, or vision of future … we are too busy defending our current position to answer yes to the call to “follow me” to some place new. In the Church’s wisdom, little efforts done with great love are what really propels us forward.
Hope in peace is something we can all aspire to, especially for us who worship the Prince of Peace as our Lord and Savior. In desperation for a cessation of violence, it is tempting to accept peace as an absence of conflict … it removes us from the painful equation. What if we embrace peace through the call of being peacemakers, where each little action toward another begins with a moment of peace. Perhaps then we will bring down our guard, draw closer together in dialog, and journey together in love. Peace be with you …
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