Reconciliatory Solutions

The countless victims of the many wars and conflicts, the desperate hostage-taking, the homicides of our world, the distressed evacuations and sufferings of people and children, and the very fact that no amount, however great, could ever pay for the lives lost or murdered. And that is basic in God’s law, the fifth commandment—“Thou shall not kill” (Ex. 20:13), expressed in the Old Testament.

But Jesus Christ, God’s only-begotten Son, upon whom God the Father showed His approval during the transfiguration with the words: “This is my Son, the Beloved; he enjoys my favor. Listen to him” (cf. Mt. 17:5), tells us a deeper approach for obtaining peace, an approach of forgiveness, understanding and reconciliation. God’s word defines love as: “humble, patient and forgiving: (cf. 1 Cor. 13:4-13).

You may get a cue from that proverbial saying: lose a battle but win the war. We win the war when we obtain peace, save lives and progress further in the deeper relationships of love and understanding. Like in the game of chess, you can sacrifice a pawn to obtain over-all victory. Yes, humble your pride, reconcile, and obtain peace and love.

So we must listen to God’s beloved Son, Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the very hope and expectation of all the ages and nations, that even the years are counted from His birth, year one, A.D. (Anno Domini), the year of the Lord. “I tell you, then, that if you are not righteous in a much broader way than the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees, you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. You have heard that it was said to our people in the past: ‘Do not commit murder; anyone who does kill will have to face trial.’ But I tell you: whoever gets angry with a brother or sister will have to face trial. Whoever insults a brother or sister deserves to be brought before the council; whoever humiliates a brother or sister deserves to be thrown into the fire of hell. So, if you are about to offer your gift at the altar and you remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar, go at once and make peace with him, and then come back and offer your gift to God. Don’t forget this: be reconciled with your opponent quickly when you are together on the way to court. Otherwise he will turn you over to the judge, who will hand you over to the police, who will put you in jail. There you will stay until you have paid the last penny” (Mt. 5:20-26).

People have somehow to realign concepts of justice and right conduct by the light of God’s Son, Jesus, the light of the world (cf. Jn. 8:12), the Prince of peace.