Saturday, October 31, 2009

Gospel of Peace

The ancients have the saying: Ideae regunt mundum (translated: It is ideas that rule the world). Naturally erroneous and false ideas lead to wrong actions and motivations. What are the ideas that lead to the common good, especially the peace that we all long after? We know that without peace we could not educate our people or educate the young future generations, or even provide the basic necessities of food, clothing and shelter, not to mention the basic rights of life and liberty.

Why, for example, the teachings and the life of Jesus Christ are called "gospel of peace" or "good news of peace" (Eph. 6:15). It is because it talks about love for one's enemies (cf. Mt. 5:18-45), forgiveness, detachment from the goods of the earth. "None of you can be my disciple if he does not renounce all his possessions" (Lk. 14:33). "What will a man gain if he wins the whole world and ruins his life? Or what has a man to offer in exchange for his life?" (Mt. 16:26). The common prayer of the Our Father underscores the virtue of forgiveness. Since love is the essence of Christianity, St. Paul summarizes it as: "Love is humble, love is patient, love is forgiving. I may have the eloquence of man or angels, or have the gift of prophecy or a faith that can move mountains, give away all that I possess or even let them take my body to burn it but without love I am nothing at all and will do me no good whatever" (cf. 1 Cor. 13:1-13).

Let us delve into the realm of right emotions and ideas and analyze what are those that outlast to bring us the needed peace. We can also remind people that things were made for man, not to be enslaved to things or to fight over things transitory. The gospel of peace is supposed to be shared to all peoples as well as all that is "true, good, pure, honest and noble," then will the God of peace be with us. (cf. Phil. 4:8).

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