“The Way of Peace”
By
Robert John Colon

1. The Way of peace can be shown in Jesus Christ (1), “our peace” (Ephesians 2:14, RSV: CE); His peace is true peace (2). “The Child born in Bethlehem is the eternal Word of the Father who became flesh for our salvation, he is 'God-with-us', who brings with him the secret of true peace. He is the Prince of Peace” (3). Jesus, who came “down from heaven, not to do [his] own will, but the will of him who sent [him]” (John 6: 38, RSV: CE), said, “Lo, I have come to do thy will, O God” (Hebrews 10: 7, RSV: CE) (4). “Christ, being true God and true man, has a human intellect and will, perfectly attuned and subject to his divine intellect and divine will, which he has in common with the Father and the Holy Spirit” (5).

2. Even if we often do not want to do God’s will, can’t we say that, in truth, doing God’s will is the secret of real peace? Who “has hardened himself against him, and succeeded?” (Job 9: 4, RSV: CE). As might be expected, doing the will of God might be extremely difficult at times. Man “must constantly struggle to oppose the forces of evil, those which press upon him from without and those at work within him, and which would distract him from God. And thus there takes place in man’s heart a constant battle for truth and happiness” (6). Nevertheless, we can have “peace… the messianic gift par excellence” (7). What is this gift made up of? Well, you might hear people speak of peace of heart, peace in one’s neighborhood, peace in one’s nation, and so forth. “Peace anywhere in the world is possible only if there is first of all peace of heart” (8), which you might say is “peace of the human conscience” (9). But human passions disturb this inner peace (10). Perhaps the passion of sadness (11) would be on the list of human passions that disturb inner peace. With sincerity do I say: painful it might be to be told to not surrender to the psychological impulse of pity for oneself. But, at the same time that it is true that “insofar as [passions] engage reason and will, there is moral good or evil in them” (12) – and sadness is a passion – isn’t it also true that, here below, “the joy which is a fruit of the Holy Spirit… will always include to a certain extent the painful trial of a woman in travail and a certain apparent abandonment, like that of the orphan: tears and lamentation”? (13) At times, the “peace of heart” might seem weak compared to sufferings. In truth, isn’t God’s gift of peace stronger than suffering? To understand this, it might help to notice that peace is perhaps defined well as “stability”. Let us read the “gentle words of Psalm 62[61]… it is a hymn of trust that opens with what appears to be an antiphon, repeated halfway through the text. It is like a peaceful and strong ejaculatory prayer, an invocation that also becomes a programme of life: 'In God alone is my soul at rest; my help comes from him. He alone is my rock, my stronghold, my fortress: I stand firm' (vv. 2-3, 6-7)” (14). Isn’t this stability about trust in God, which you might say is the loving dependence of a child on the will of God? “Scripture offers us an eloquent example of total trust in God when it tells how Abraham reached the decision to sacrifice his son Isaac. In reality, God did not want the death of the son, but the faith of the father. And Abraham demonstrates it completely, for when Isaac asks him where the lamb is for the burnt offering, he dares to answer: 'God will provide' (Gn 22:8)” (15). Pope John XXIII said: “Peace is before all else an interior thing, belonging to the spirit, and its fundamental condition is a loving and filial dependence on the will of God” (16). It might be suitable to bring before ourselves these words of Jesus: “My food is to do the will of him who sent me, and to accomplish his work” (John 4: 34, RSV: CE). Isn’t at least part of this saying: “I depend on the will of God”? For us, doing the will of God, living according to His commandments, avoiding sin, serving our neighbor is a response of ours to God’s love; this is a response of love, and love is “the 'content' and 'method' of peace” (17).

3. But “who is without sin, apart from Christ and His Immaculate Mother?” (18) If all of us are sinners, then can’t we say that we do not always do God’s will? (“To the eyes of faith no evil is graver than sin” (19) and “God, who, as St. Thomas teaches, in allowing evil to exist in the world, 'neither wills evil to be done, nor wills it not to be done, but wills only to permit it to be done; and this is good.'” (20)) But let us remember these words: “there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance” (Luke 15: 7, RSV: CE). Jesus Christ “was sent by the Father as the revelation of God’s mercy (cf. Jn 3:16-18)” (21). This is partly why “Mary is Mother of Mercy” (22). One way we might look at this title – “Mother of Mercy” – is this way: If Jesus is Mercy, Mary is Mother of Mercy. She is truly the Mother of God. On the first day of the year 2007 is (or was, depending on when this is read by you) the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. In the words of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, “Mary is truly ‘Mother of God’ since she is the mother of the eternal Son of God made man, who is God himself” (23). As Pope John Paul II spelled out, motherhood concerns not only the body, but the whole person (24).

4. In Jesus and in Mary, don’t we see the way of peace presented? Mary’s “only desire is to be the handmaid of the Lord (cf. Lk 1:38, 48)… her will is one with the will of God” (25). In 2007, on the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, there is observed the 40th World Day of Peace. In viewing Mary with thoughtful and careful attention on this day, isn’t the answer to the question “How can peace be attained?” presented to us? A loving dependence of a son or daughter on the will of God – such is the way of peace. Not to deny the “belief that God Himself has made known to mankind the way in which men are to serve Him, and thus be saved in Christ and come to blessedness” and the belief “that this one true religion subsists in the Catholic and Apostolic Church” (26), but can’t we say that even those who are not Christians can do actions that are in line with God’s will (if we may put it this way) and contribute to the growth of peace, which can also mean: putting things back in their God-given and natural order (27)? The word peace can mean: “‘tranquillitas ordinis – the tranquillity of order’ as Saint Augustine called it (De Civitate Dei, 19, 13)” (28).
5. “Peace”, which “is… above all a gift of God” (29), is related to or one might say even is good will, which, for “its part… is only the sincere determination to respect the eternal laws of God, to conform oneself to His commandments and to follow His paths—in a word, to abide in the truth” (30). One truth is that “all… enjoy an equal dignity” (31). There are “differences among persons” and these differences “belong to God’s plan, who wills that we should need one another” (32). Every person enjoys equal dignity and fundamental rights insofar as each is created in the image of the one God, is endowed with the same rational soul, has the same origin and nature, and is called in Christ, the one and sole Savior, to the same divine beatitude (33). The “intrinsic value and personal dignity of every human being do not change, no matter what the concrete circumstances of his or her life…. Even our brothers and sisters who find themselves in the clinical condition of a 'vegetative state' retain their human dignity in all its fullness. The loving gaze of God the Father continues to fall upon them, acknowledging them as his sons and daughters, especially in need of help” (34).

6. In considering that every individual man is – in a real manner – a person, and that his is a nature, that is, endowed with free will and intelligence, let us keep in mind that as such every individual man has rights and duties that together flow as a direct result or consequence from his nature (35). In the Encyclical Pacem in Terris of Pope John XXIII, one can find these as rights: life, physical integrity and the means necessary for life’s proper development, including food, shelter, clothing, rest, medical care and the necessary social services, and respect (36). “On their part, all men are bound to seek the truth, especially in what concerns God and His Church, and to embrace the truth they come to know, and to hold fast to it”. The Second “Vatican Council” professed “its belief that it is upon the human conscience that these obligations fall and exert their binding force. The truth cannot impose itself except by virtue of its own truth, as it makes its entrance into the mind at once quietly and with power”. The Second “Vatican Council” declared “that the human person has a right to religious freedom. This freedom means that all men are to be immune from coercion on the part of individuals or of social groups and of any human power, in such wise that no one is to be forced to act in a manner contrary to his own beliefs, whether privately or publicly, whether alone or in association with others, within due limits” (37). The human person’s dignity does require that in religious matters none of us may be forced to act against conscience and not be restrained, within public order’s just limits, from acting in conformity or obedience with conscience, publicly or privately, in association with others or alone (38). For more on the right to religious freedom, one might turn to the II Vatican Council Declaration on Religious Freedom Dignitatis Humanae. As for man’s duties, let us, for now, bring before ourselves these words of Pope Benedict XVI: “It goes without saying… that human rights imply corresponding duties” (39). For example, the right to life is related to the duty to preserve one’s life (40).

7. Pope John XXIII said: “The disturbances which unsettle the internal peace of nations trace their origins chiefly to this source: that man has been treated almost exclusively as a machine, a piece of merchandise, a worthless cog in some great machine or a mere productive unit”. He said that “the Church… has always fixed her gaze on the human person and has taught that things and institutions—goods, the economy, the state—are primarily for man; not man for them”. “It is only when the dignity of the person comes to be taken as the standard of value for man and his activities that the means will exist to settle civil discord” (41).

8. Pope Benedict XVI said: “A true and stable peace presupposes respect for human rights”. Pope Benedict XVI also said: “Only if they are grounded in the objective requirements of the nature bestowed on man by the Creator, can the rights attributed to him be affirmed without fear of contradiction” (42).

9. Of course, to respect the person’s rights and to fulfill our duties might be very inconvenient at times. But we “find, in the gifts of the Holy Spirit and in the sacraments, a strength drawn from the divine source” (43). “By Christ's death and resurrection, made sacramentally present in each Eucharistic celebration, we are saved from evil and enabled to do good” (44). Let us also remember to pray. Through prayer, you can discern “what is the will of God” (Romans 12: 2, RSV: CE) and have the “endurance, so that you may do the will of God” (Hebrews 10: 36, RSV: CE) (45). The Father’s will is that every man be saved (cf. 1 Timothy 2: 4); for this Jesus came: to perfectly accomplish His Father’s saving will (46). “God wants us all to become his adopted children by grace”. Thanks “to Jesus” people “can become… children of God”. “We read in Saint John: 'And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us' (Jn 1:14); and again: 'To all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God' (Jn 1:12)” (47). The “risen Jesus has conquered Satan, giving us the Spirit of God who makes us cry ‘Abba, Father!’ (Rm 8:15; Gal 4:6)” (48). Christ said: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you” (John 14: 27, RSV: CE). “In his Commentary on the Gospel of John, St Cyril of Alexandria reminds us that in giving us peace, Jesus gives us his Spirit” (49).

10. Let us pray God our Father to unite our will to the will of His Son (50). And let us ask Mary, Mother of God and “the Queen of Peace” to “show us, in her Son, the Way of peace, and” (51) help us to love. Where “love prevails, there peace prevails” (52).

First given January 1, 2007.

NOTES

All quotations from the Bible that are clearly shown to be from the Revised Standard Version: Catholic Edition [RSV: CE] by showing the RSV: CE next to them, are from the Ignatius RSV: CE Bible, [Ignatius Press, San Francisco].

(1) Cf. Pope Benedict XVI, Message for the celebration of the World Day of Peace 2007, number 17.
(2) Cf. Pope John XXIII, Christmas Message of Pope John XXIII, December 23, 1959, see part right before the part “Christian peace” (http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_xxiii/speeches/1959/documents/hf_j-xxiii_spe_19591223_christmas_en.html).
(3) John Paul II, Homily, 1 January 2002, (http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/homilies/2002/documents/hf_jp-ii_hom_20020101_madre-di-dio_en.html).
(4) See Catechism of the Catholic Church, numbers 606-607.
(5) Catechism of the Catholic Church (Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1994; English translation for the United States of America – United States Catholic Conference, Inc.–Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1994), number 482.
(6) John Paul II, Homily, 12 June 1999, Sandomierz, number 2, (http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/homilies/1999/documents/hf_jp-ii_hom_19990612_sandomierz_en.html).
(7) John Paul II, General Audience, 2 October 2002, number 3, (http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/audiences/2002/documents/hf_jp-ii_aud_20021002_en.html).
(8) John Paul II, Homily, 23 November 1986, Wellington (New Zealand), number 6, (http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/homilies/1986/documents/hf_jp-ii_hom_19861123_athletic-park-wellington_en.html), (Copyright 1986, Libreria Editrice Vaticana).
(9) John Paul II, Homily, 23 November 1986, Wellington (New Zealand), number 3, (http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/homilies/1986/documents/hf_jp-ii_hom_19861123_athletic-park-wellington_en.html), (Copyright 1986, Libreria Editrice Vaticana).
(10) Cf. John Paul II, Homily, 23 November 1986, Wellington (New Zealand), number 6.
(11) See Catechism of the Catholic Church, number 1772.
(12) Catechism of the Catholic Church, number 1773.
(13) Pope Paul VI, Apostolic Exhortation, Gaudete in Domino, May 9, 1975, III (http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/paul_vi/apost_exhortations/documents/hf_p-vi_exh_19750509_gaudete-in-domino_en.html); see note 42 of the Exhortation: “42. Cf. Rom. 14:17; Gal. 5:22.” and note 43: “43. Cf. Jn. 16:20-22; 2 Cor. 1:4, 7:46.”
(14) John Paul II, General Audience, 10 November 2004, number 1, (http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/audiences/2004/documents/hf_jp-ii_aud_20041110_en.html) (emphasis added).
(15) John Paul II, General Audience, 24 March 1999, number 4, (http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/audiences/1999/documents/hf_jp-ii_aud_24031999_en.html).
(16) Pope John XXIII, Christmas message of Pope John XXIII, December 23, 1959, see the part “Peace of the heart” under the part “Christian peace”, (http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_xxiii/speeches/1959/documents/hf_j-xxiii_spe_19591223_christmas_en.html).
(17) Benedict XVI, Angelus, 1 January 2006, (http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/angelus/2006/documents/hf_ben-xvi_ang_20060101_world-day-peace_en.html), (Copyright 2006, Libreria Editrice Vaticana).
(18) Pope Paul VI, Apostolic Exhortation, Gaudete in Domino, May 9, 1975, V (http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/paul_vi/apost_exhortations/documents/hf_p-vi_exh_19750509_gaudete-in-domino_en.html).
(19) Catechism of the Catholic Church, number 1488.
(20) Pope Leo XIII, Encyclical, Libertas, number 33, June 20, 1888, (http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/leo_xiii/encyclicals/documents/hf_l-xiii_enc_20061888_libertas_en.html) (Copyright, Libreria Editrice Vaticana); see reference 11: “11. Summa theologiae, la, q. xix, a. 9, ad 3m.”
(21) Pope John Paul II, Encyclical Letter, The Splendor of Truth, number 118, August 6, 1993 (Boston, MA: St. Paul Books & Media).
(22) Pope John Paul II, The Splendor of Truth, number 118.
(23) Catechism of the Catholic Church, number 509.
(24) Cf. Pope John Paul II, Apostolic Letter, Mulieris Dignitatem, August 15, 1988, number 4.
(25) Benedict XVI, Encyclical Letter, Deus Caritas Est, number 41, 25 December 2005, (http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/encyclicals/documents/hf_ben-xvi_enc_20051225_deus-caritas-est_en.html) (Copyright 2005, Libreria Editrice Vaticana).
(26) II Vatican Council, Declaration on Religious Freedom Dignitatis Humanae, number 1, (http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_decl_19651207_dignitatis-humanae_en.html).
(27) Cf. Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2004; see the Pastoral and Theological Introduction.
(28) Pope John Paul II, Message for the World Day of Peace 2003, number 6, (http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/messages/peace/documents/hf_jp-ii_mes_20021217_xxxvi-world-day-for-peace_en.html).
(29) Pope John Paul II, Message for the celebration of the Day of Peace 1979, III, (http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/messages/peace/documents/hf_jp-ii_mes_19781221_xii-world-day-for-peace_en.html).
(30) Pope John XXIII, Christmas message of Pope John XXIII, December 23, 1959, see the part “Peace of the heart” under the part “Christian peace”, (http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_xxiii/speeches/1959/documents/hf_j-xxiii_spe_19591223_christmas_en.html).
(31) Catechism of the Catholic Church, number 1934.
(32) Catechism of the Catholic Church, number 1946.
(33) Cf. Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, number 412.
(34) John Paul II, Address to the Participants in the International Congress on "Life-Sustaining Treatments and Vegetative State: Scientific Advances and Ethical Dilemmas", 20 March 2004, number 3, (http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/speeches/2004/march/documents/hf_jp-ii_spe_20040320_congress-fiamc_en.html).
(35) Cf. Pope John XXIII, Encyclical, Pacem in Terris, number 9.
(36) Cf. Pope John XXIII, Pacem in Terris, numbers 11 and 12.
(37) II Vatican Council, Dignitatis Humanae, numbers 1 and 2 (http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_decl_19651207_dignitatis-humanae_en.html) (emphasis added).
(38) Cf. Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, number 444.
(39) Pope Benedict XVI, Message for the celebration of the World Day of Peace 2007, number 12, (http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/messages/peace/documents/hf_ben-xvi_mes_20061208_xl-world-day-peace_en.html) (Copyright 2006, Libreria Editrice Vaticana).
(40) Cf. Pope John XXIII, Pacem in Terris, number 29.
(41) Pope John XXIII, Christmas message of Pope John XXIII, December 23, 1959, see the part “Social peace” under the part “Christian peace”, (http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_xxiii/speeches/1959/documents/hf_j-xxiii_spe_19591223_christmas_en.html).
(42) Pope Benedict XVI, Message for the celebration of the World Day of Peace 2007, number 12, (http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/messages/peace/documents/hf_ben-xvi_mes_20061208_xl-world-day-peace_en.html) (Copyright 2006, Libreria Editrice Vaticana).
(43) Pope John Paul II, Message for the celebration of the Day of Peace 1979, III, (http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/messages/peace/documents/hf_jp-ii_mes_19781221_xii-world-day-for-peace_en.html).
(44) Pope John Paul II, Message for the World Day of Peace 2005, number 12, (http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/messages/peace/documents/hf_jp-ii_mes_20041216_xxxviii-world-day-for-peace_en.html) (Copyright, Libreria Editrice Vaticana).
(45) Cf. Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, number 591.
(46) Cf. Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, number 591.
(47) Pope John Paul II, Letter to Children, December 13, 1994, see the part “Jesus brings the Truth” (http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/letters/documents/hf_jp-ii_let_13121994_children_en.html) (Copyright, Libreria Editrice Vaticana).
(48) John Paul II, General Audience, number 4, 28 July 1999, (http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/audiences/1999/documents/hf_jp-ii_aud_28071999_en.html).
(49) John Paul II, General Audience, 2 October 2002, number 4, (http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/audiences/2002/documents/hf_jp-ii_aud_20021002_en.html).
(50) Cf. Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, number 591.
(51) Pope Benedict XVI, Message for the celebration of the World Day of Peace 2007, number 17, (http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/messages/peace/documents/hf_ben-xvi_mes_20061208_xl-world-day-peace_en.html) (Copyright 2006, Libreria Editrice Vaticana).
(52) Pope John Paul II, Message for the World Day of Peace 2005, number 12, (http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/messages/peace/documents/hf_jp-ii_mes_20041216_xxxviii-world-day-for-peace_en.html) (Copyright, Libreria Editrice Vaticana).