For the World, Peace

Goodness is stronger than evil; love is stronger than hate; light is stronger than darkness; life is stronger than death. Victory is ours, through him who loves us.

These words of Archbishop Desmond Tutu have been rushing through my head for the last hours as we continue to unfold the senseless acts of violence that occurred in Boston yesterday. Though it's true that I, like many, want to see justice prevail, healing occur and freedom secured, I also pray for the opportunities for peace to prevail.

The peace that I wish to see fill our nation, our world is not a daisy-pushing, "everything's fine"-type of peace. Rather, the peace I pray for is the peace which comes from Jesus Christ; a peace that the world cannot give.

This is the peace that comes to us in the midst of strife. It's a peace to assure us that while we must undergo suffering in this life (as much as we do try to avoid it), that our Lord is there to walk us through it, to guide us along the path which truly leads us - as individuals and as a collective whole - to that which is greater than we are. Blessed Pope John XXIII laid out an excellent explanation and vision in his encyclical, Pacem in Terris, which celebrated the 50th anniversary of its promulgation on the 11th of April.

If we are truly searching out for this peace which the world cannot give, we come to understand not only the depth of God's love for us, but, in turn, how much we as God's children are yearning and longing for that gift of peace. This peace of Jesus Christ is best summed up in this thought by an unknown author:

Peace: It does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work. It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart.

 When we finally allow the peace of Christ to reign in our hearts, our homes and our lives, then we give ourselves the opportunity to stand in the midst of the confusion and hatred of this world and know, deep down in our souls, that "all will be well" (to use the words of Julian of Norwich). 

This is not the zen peace of counting to ten when we're frustrated, hoping that we'll be a little more calm to deal with the world. This is also not the emotional peace that comes with being happy, or even "happy-go-lucky". The peace we need to seek, the peace which comes from Christ alone is a peace that recognizes suffering and pain, the existence of hatred and evil in the world. Yet it is also a peace that allows us to not become freaked out in any type of hyper sense because of one senseless act of violence or the continuation of hatred presenting itself to certain people in our world due to the lack of charity towards others.

The peace of Christ is one that allows us to look at suffering, pain, violence and hate in the face and laugh at it, because it ultimately holds no power over us. This peace is one that allows you and me to know that there is something greater than anything in this world, and that He alone continues to dwell with us through the gift of His Holy Spirit, Who gives us the peace we seek.

I guess that, in the end, if this is the peace we're seeking, the best words to seek assurance from are from our Lord, Himself. Jesus reminds us (John 14.27):

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.

 
 "Be not afraid!" - Blessed John Paul II


Let us, then, pray with all fervor for this peace which our divine Redeemer came to bring us. May He banish from the souls of men whatever might endanger peace. May He transform all men into witnesses of truth, justice and brotherly love. May He illumine with His light the minds of rulers, so that, besides caring for the proper material welfare of their peoples, they may also guarantee them the fairest gift of peace.

Finally, may Christ inflame the desires of all men to break through the barriers which divide them, to strengthen the bonds of mutual love, to learn to understand one another, and to pardon those who have done them wrong. Through His power and inspiration may all peoples welcome each other to their hearts as brothers, and may the peace they long for ever flower and ever reign among them. 

Blessed John XXIII - "Pacem in Terris", 171



 Enjoy the journey . . .