The Latin proverb above, translates thus: “The strength of peace derives from the truth.” For example, if the gospel of Jesus Christ is called the gospel of peace (cf. Eph. 6:15) it must certainly contain basic teachings that are a source of strength inside and outside our persons. To us, our relationship of love and prayer to Jesus Christ becomes a source of peace, if only we follow His ways.
Now the ways of Jesus (cf. Jn. 4:34) basically follow God’s will, in a life of love, consideration, respect for the neighbor’s rights, obedience to the Church, following the commandments and a life of truthfulness, that is, a transparency able to face the world. “On these grounds is sentence pronounced: that though the light has come into the world men have shown they prefer darkness to the light because their deeds were evil. And indeed, everybody who does wrong hates the light and avoids it, for fear his actions should be exposed; but the man who lives by the truth comes out into the light, so that it may be plainly seen that what he does is done in God” (Jn. 3:19-21). Though, of course, human as we are, God’s voice keeps calling us to conversion and a change of heart.
That is the desire of the heart of Jesus as reflected in those three parables of Divine Mercy in Luke chapter 15—(the lost sheep, the lost drachma, the prodigal and the dutiful son). His message is: “There will be more rejoicing in heaven over one repentant sinner than over ninety-nine virtuous men who have no need of repentance” (Lk. 15:7). Jesus even implored God’s forgiveness on those who crucified Him: “Father, forgive them; they do not know what they are doing” (Lk. 23:34).
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