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by Rev. Fr. V.V. Paulose, Toronto, Canada
"Blessed are the peace makers, for they will be called sons of God." (Mathew 5:9)
Is peace a mirage? Are our children and us are
destined for a violent death?
Peace never takes place by mere lip service; it requires conscious actions.
Peace is a heavenly gift from God. "A child has been born for us. His names will
be… Prince of peace" (Isaiah 9:6).
Jesus said before his trial and violent death, "Peace I leave with you; my peace
I give to you, not as the world gives do I give to you" (John 14:27). After his
resurrection by appearing to his disciples he said, "Peace be with you" (John
20:19). This peace gives you a heart that can't be disturbed by any situation.
It will make your ship of life to cross any violent turbulent sea of life.
Peace is a state of tranquility, quiet, calm, free from civil disturbance, and
state of serenity. This could start from religious people who have the hearts of
peace. More talks and no peace is the reality now - in individuals, families,
religions, nations and the world at large. I am afraid that the universe, as a
whole, is in turmoil and violent due to the inaction of the children of God.
A great cry for peace is heard from all over the world - from the unborn child
in the womb of a mother to the Pope in the Palace of Vatican. If the UN can't,
the US can't, the European Union can't, the Arab league can't, and the Pope
can't give peace, then who can? Jesus can. He gives it freely to those who are
living like Mother Teresa.
In the Nobel Prize acceptance speech, Mother said: Let us thank God… for this
gift of peace that reminds us that we have been created to live with that peace,
and that Jesus became man to bring that good news to the poor… The news was
peace and goodwill to all. This is something we all want - the peace of heart.
And to make sure we remember His great love, He made himself the Bread of Life
to satisfy our hunger for his love - our hunger for God - because we have been
created for that love. He made himself the hungry one, the sick one, the one in
prison, the lonely one, the unwanted one, and he says, "You did it to me."
"God will bless you with peace that no one can completely understand. And this
peace will control the way you think and feel ." ( Philippians 4:7) All arms of
destruction, conventional and non-conventional in the hands of people and the
state, should be disarmed and destroyed. Each of us should make a pledge that we
will not be violent in any form in the family, at work, and in the community. We
should always strive for peace. No religion should propagate enmity and violence
in any form in the name of faith and those who do so should be shunned. ‘YES
JESUS, YES PEACE. NO JESUS NO PEACE.'
Jesus, the prince of peace, be with us always. Let your peace penetrate in the hearts of the most traumatized and discouraged by sorrows and threats of violent people, terrorism of state and religion and the fury of nature and life. Let peace prevail in our homes, in our churches, in our states, and in war fields like Libya and Israel. All we ask in the name of Jesus. Amen
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