Your peace

Mercy and peace, grace and peace, love and peace, justice and peace. The fruit of the Spirit and peace. There is no doubt that our God is a God of peace (Ro 15.33, Heb 13.20, 1 Thes 5.23). For these times when the trumpets begin to be heard announcing wars, it is difficult to speak of the peace of God. I wonder what the church of the living God does as a divine institution in this situation. Some say that we should not do anything because meddling in such matters does not correspond to the body of Christ. Others argue that it is appropriate to pray that God works and his will be done. Most seem to add to the drowsiness and insensitivity of those who hide behind religious reasoning to cling to indifference. But there is a God in heaven and a Prince of Peace at his right hand. No one likes wars with interests disguised as apparent humanism. It is not about politics, but about theology. The apostle Paul tells us that Christ is our peace (Eph 2:14).

The prosperity of the human being depends on peace and God revealed to us the formula to enjoy it in his Son Jesus Christ. Since Christ is our peace, there are no justifications for warlike wobbles or contentious games of conscience. We children of God must love peace and above all, work and promote peace. Jesus himself tells us Peace I leave you; I give you my peace. And it underlines us. I do not give it to you as the world gives it (Jn 14:27). The Christian must love peace.

The Jews of Christ's time expected a Messiah of war who would restore the nation of Israel with the sword and drive out the invading Romans with horses and armies. But he preferred peace. His mission was higher. His compassion had no limits; He came to seek sinners, to announce a new era, to provide grace to a wretched world, to bring us its peace.

I am sure that many feel the peace of God in their hearts. That peace is like a seed that germinates every morning in conjugal affection, in the embrace of the children, in the smile of the elders of your life and in the miracle of the grandchildren, who renew your wings with their tender looks and fill the heart of gratitude to God. Peace of Christ is synonymous with fullness. Without it there is no joy, no hope, no life.

Jesus holds humanity in high esteem. God and man are his priorities. His kingdom announces a new order in the heart of the human being, a true change in the mentality and actions of man. Jesus comes to proclaim peace, to regenerate, to sweep away the old, to establish a principality of peace in the interior and exterior life of man.

That is why it hurts to listen to the drums of war, because we do not conceive of a world where peace is a privilege of the few and where the ghost of death hangs over the heads of many innocent lives who would irretrievably die. God is not incarnated in misery, or in war tanks, or in the landscapes left by human battles, but in sanity, in timely reflection, in his indisputably necessary peace. Deception dwells in those who concoct evil, but there is joy for those who promote peace (Pr 12.20)

Paul told the Romans: “Let us therefore strive to promote everything that leads to peace and mutual edification (Ro 14:19). It is a verse that seems to be taken from some current diplomatic resolution, but it is the diplomacy of Christ, it is what we need today more than ever so that the peace of God that surpasses all understanding, take care of our hearts and thoughts in Christ Jesus (Phil 4.7).

God bless you!