(This article courtesy of the Arlington Catholic Herald.)
And that side would be much simpler because it pictured one individual person. So, the father said to his son: “Turn the pieces over and work on the other side of the puzzle.” The boy did what his father suggested and in no time at all, the puzzle was finished. There was the picture of one person! “Son,” said the father, “learn a lesson from what you just did and see: when each person is together, that is, in one piece, so is the world.”
How true was this father’s statement! There can be no peace in our world unless peaceful people inhabit the earth. There can be no peace in the community unless each person is at peace from within and with others. You and I are being called to be persons of peace, instruments of peace, evangelists of peace. There is a song about peace which includes this powerful line: “Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me.”
Yes, you and I are being called to make peace because we are baptized into Christ Jesus and are members of His Body, the Church. Part of our identity as disciples of Jesus is to be makers of peace. Our identity as Christians includes being persons who work for justice and peace. Is this not what St. Paul is telling when he says, “Christ’s peace must reign in your hearts since as members of the one body, you have been called to that peace”? Jesus himself identifies who His disciples are by saying, “Anyone who loves me will be true to my word.” And, what is Christ’s Word to us? “‘Peace’ is my farewell to you, my peace is my gift to you.” It is very clear that if we are really Christ’s disciples, His friends, members of His Church, we must work for peace, we must “Bring forth the Kingdom of Peace.”
How do we do this? The process of peace begins with each one of us. We bring forth the Kingdom of Peace person by person, choice by choice, step by step. First, each of us must be close to Jesus; He must be our closest friend. “Anyone who loves me will be true to my word and my Father will love him; we will come to him and make our dwelling place with him.” We must deepen every day a living relationship with the Lord. Prayer helps us to do this: personal prayer at home and liturgical prayer when we celebrate the Mass and the other sacraments. We cannot be friends with Jesus unless we have a real relationship with Him. And praying makes that relationship possible and lasting. In fact, just a few weeks ago, our Holy Father reminded us that prayer is as necessary and basic as breathing is for life. “It is no accident that a long tradition describes prayer as a type of ‘breathing’: it is as primeval, necessary and basic as life-giving breathing” (L’Osservatore Romano, English Edition, N. 4, January 23, 2002, p.11).
Then, with the Holy Trinity living within us — Father, Son and Holy Spirit — we have the willingness, the energy and the strength to work as partners for peace. This means trying to live each day in ways that bring about, maintain and deepen peace with each of us and among us as a family, as a neighborhood, as a community. Remember, peace begins with each one of us. For example, we must reject violence, which is so imbedded in our society right now. So many movies, TV programs and videos glorify violence. Non-violence is the only way to bring forth the Kingdom of Peace. So, we need to ask ourselves: do we react with violence — in word or action — when some disagreement happens at home or in the playground or in the neighborhood? How do we settle conflicts that occur? Do we try to find peaceful ways? Do we try to influence others to be peaceful?
Another way to bring forth the Kingdom of Peace is to put into practice the Christ-like attitude described by St. Paul, who gives us a recipe for peace making: heartfelt mercy, kindness, humility, meekness, patience, forgiveness, and love (cf. Col 3:12-13). In his message for this year’s World Day of Peace, our Holy Father wrote: “The pillars of true peace are justice and that form of love which is forgiveness” (no. 2).
Jesus’ words on the night before He died for our salvation included His desire that His followers be people of peace, bringing forth the Kingdom of Peace. “‘Peace’ is my farewell to you; my peace is my gift to you.” The Catholic mission to evangelize the culture and work for the common good of society is certainly to bring forth peace in all its fullness.
Yes, when each person is at peace, the world will be at peace. Lord, let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me!
