Journeys

To journey with Jesus means embracing nonviolence—to absorb hostility and to replace revenge with forgiveness. It involves loving our enemies and praying for their transformation. It involves breaking the cycle of reciprocation, not only of evil for evil, but also good for good.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus lists the blessings that await those who live their lives in a certain way. Jesus addresses the peacemakers in particular by saying, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God” (Matthew 5:9).

A “peacemaker” is someone who reconciles people with God and with one another. Peacemaking, as such, requires taking the initiative to get involved in conflicts with the intention of building bridges between the parties at odds.

An old Chinese proverb says, “If there is righteousness in the heart, there will be beauty in the character. If there be beauty in the character, there will be harmony in the home. If there be harmony in the home, there will be order in the nation. When there is order in the nation, there will be peace in the world.”

What does that hymn say. ‘Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.’

A child was once asked for a definition of a saint. She said ‘A stained glass window!' Asked why, she explained, ‘The different colours let in the light and every saint is a different colour of God.' Every disciples colours God in a new way in his or her corner of the globe. And if we allow the light of God to shine through us surely we will be the much needed peacemakers our world requires.

It was Nelson Mandela who said,  “As I have said, the first thing is to be honest with yourself. You can never have an impact on society if you have not changed yourself... Great peacemakers are all people of integrity, of honesty, but humility.” 

Peacemaker God, fill me with your Spirit, so that others may benefit from your fruit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Give me wisdom from, so that I might be pure and peace-loving, considerate and submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Amen