“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God” (Mt 5:9).

for ages 4-8 | Print | Audio

Recently, an observatory established by three Italian universities reported that more than a million hate messages were posted online in one year. Messages of hate against foreigners, Jews and, in particular, women are becoming increasingly violent.

Of course, we cannot generalise, but most of us, at some time,  have experienced argumentative attitudes, insults and antagonism in our families or at work or during sport and so on which divide us and undermine social cohesion. On a more global level, there are currently 56 armed conflicts worldwide, the highest number since World War II, resulting in a significant number of civilian casualties.

It is in this context that Jesus’ thought provoking words resonate more  truthfully and powerfully than ever.

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”

‘Every nation and every person feels a deep longing for peace, harmony and unity. Yet despite our efforts and goodwill, after thousands of years of history, we still find ourselves unable to achieve stable and lasting peace. Jesus came to bring us peace – a peace that, he tells us, is not like that which ‘the world gives’, [i] because it is not merely the absence of war, strife, division and trauma. His peace encompasses all of these things but it is so much more: it is the fullness of life and joy; it is the salvation of the whole person; it is freedom; it is justice and fraternity among all peoples, based on love.’ [ii]

This month’s Word of Life is the seventh Beatitude with which the Sermon on the Mount begins (Matthew 5–7). Jesus, who embodies all the Beatitudes, addresses his disciples instructing them. It is worth noting that the eight Beatitudes are formulated in the plural. This suggests that the emphasis is not on individual attitudes or personal virtues, but rather on a collective ethic carried out in a group.

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”

Who are the peacemakers? ‘This ‘beatitude’ is the most active one and explicitly asks for concrete efforts.  The words are similar to those in the first verse of the Bible that refers to creation and they  indicate initiative and industriousness. Love is creative by nature … and seeks reconciliation at any cost. Those who have learned the art of peace and practise it are called children of God. They know that there can be no reconciliation without giving one’s life, and that peace must always be sought everywhere… This is not an autonomous work that is the fruit of one’s own abilities, but a manifestation of the grace received from Christ, who is our peace and has made us children of God.’ [iii]

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”

So, how can we live out these words? Firstly, by spreading true love everywhere. Secondly, we must intervene when peace is threatened around us. Sometimes, simply listening lovingly and attentively to those in conflict can provide a way forward.

Furthermore, it asks that we do not give up until broken relationships, often caused by trivial matters, are restored. Perhaps we could initiate special activities within our groups, associations or parishes to raise awareness of the need for peace. There are myriad proposals around the world, large and small, that work for this: marches, concerts, conferences and volunteer work set in motion a current of generosity that builds peace.

There are also peace education programmes, such as ‘Living Peace’.  [iv]To date, over two million children, young people and adults in more than 2,600 schools and groups on five continents are involved in its initiatives. These include launching the ‘Peace Dice’ — inspired by Chiara Lubich’s ‘art of loving’ [v] – with phrases written on each side to help build peaceful relationships, and the worldwide ‘Time Out’ initiative which is a moment of silence, reflection,or prayer for peace at 12:00 noon every day.

Prepared by Augusto Parody Reyes
and the Word of Life Team

[i] Cf. Jn 14:27
[ii] C. Lubich, Word of Life Jan 2004
[iii] Pope Francis, General Audience, 15 April 2020
[iv] http://livingpeaceinternational.org
[v] C. Lubich ‘The Art of Loving’, Rome 2000

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‘My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.’ (Ps 121 [120]:2)

Is there anyone who, at certain times of their life, has not felt that they simply could no longer cope? The author of Psalm 121 felt like this when facing great difficulties and wondered where the help needed could be found.

The answer is an affirmation of faith in God, in whom he or she trusts. The conviction with which the author speaks of the Lord, who watches over and protects each individual and all peoples, expresses a certainty that seems to arise from deep personal experience.

‘My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.’

The rest of the psalm, in effect, is a proclamation of a powerful and loving God, who created all that exists and guards it day and night. The Lord ‘will not let your foot falter, will not let your keeper fall asleep’ (i), says the psalmist, eager
to convince the reader. Although surrounded by difficulties, the author has looked up (ii), sought a foothold outside and beyond their immediate sphere and found an answer. He or she has experienced that help comes from the One who gave life to every creature, who continues to sustain everything at all times and will never abandon it.(iii) The psalmist firmly believes in this God who watches over everyone day and night: he or she is ‘the keeper of Israel’ (iv) and therefore, this belief must be communicated to others.

‘My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.’

Chiara Lubich says, ‘In times of uncertainty, anguish and delay, God wants us to believe in his love and asks us to trust… He wants us to take advantage of these painful circumstances to show him that we believe in his
love. And that means to have faith that he is our father who does not abandon us. That means casting all our worries onto him, loading everything on to him.’ (v)

But how does God‘s help actually reach each one of us? Scripture recounts many episodes when this comes about through the actions of men and women, such as Moses, Elijah, Elisha or Esther, who were called to be instruments of divine care and concern for a particular person or for whole nations. We too, if we ‘look up,’ will recognize the action of people who, consciously or not, come to our aid and we will be grateful to God from whom all goodness ultimately comes, for it is he who created each person’s heart. We will be able to witness this goodness to other people.

It is difficult to do this if we are closed in on ourselves and rely solely on our own strength to solve problems during challenging times.

Instead, when we are more open and our eyes are raised and see around us, we also discover that we can be instruments of God who provides for his children. We sense the concerns of others and can give them much needed help.

‘My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.’

Roger, from Costa Rica, recounts. ‘A priest I knew told me that someone was coming to the social help centre to collect some incontinence pads for a parishioner who needed them. While I was waiting for him, I saw a neighbour
passing by who I knew was living in a very difficult situation and I gave her some food including the last seven eggs I had. She was surprised by what I did and revealed that she had nothing in her home that she, her husband or her
children could eat. I reminded her that Jesus’ said, “Ask and it will be given to you” (Mt 7:7), emphasizing that he is aware of our needs. She returned home happy and grateful to God.

In the afternoon the person sent by the priest arrived. I offered him coffee. He was a truck driver and, while chatting, I asked him what he was transporting. “Eggs,” he replied, and he wanted to give me thirty-two!’

Silvano Malini & the Word of Life Team

i Ps. 121 [120]:3
ii Cf. idem v.1
iii Cf. idem v3
iv Cf. idem v.4
v C.Lubich. ‘Conversations’ Rome 2019

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“Rejoice with me, for I have found my lost sheep” (Luke 15:6).

Shepherds in the Ancient East used to count sheep when they returned from the pasture and were always ready to set out in search if one was missing. They would even brave the desert and the night, in order to find those sheep that had gone astray.

This parable is a story of loss and finding again that clearly demonstrates the shepherd’s love for the flock. He notices that one of the sheep is missing, searches for it, finds it and carries it on his shoulders because it is weak, frightened, perhaps wounded and unable to follow the shepherd unaided. He brings the sheep back to safety and, finally, full of joy, invites his neighbours to celebrate together.

“Rejoice with me, for I have found my lost sheep.”

Three actions – getting lost, finding and celebrating – are the recurring themes in this story.

Getting lost. The good news is that the Lord goes out to find those who are lost. We often lose the way in the various situations we encounter or in which we live or even take refuge. These may include experiences of abandonment, marginalization, poverty, misunderstanding or disunity. They are like the desert where the path ahead is unclear. The shepherd searches for us even in these places, and although we may lose sight of him, he will always find us.

Finding. Let us try to imagine the scene of the shepherd’s frantic search in the desert. It is an image that is striking in its expressive power. We can understand the joy felt by both the shepherd and the sheep when they find one another: this encounter restores that sense of security to the sheep because it has escaped danger. Thus, the ‘finding’ is an act of divine mercy.

Celebration. The shepherd gathers his friends together to celebrate because he wants to share his joy, just as the main character does in the other two parables that follow this one: that of the lost coin and that of the merciful
father.(i) Jesus wants us to understand the importance of sharing joy with everyone and immunizes us against the temptation to judge each other. We have all been ‘found again’.

“Rejoice with me, for I have found my lost sheep.”

This Word of Life is an invitation to be grateful for the mercy God has for us all personally. Rejoicing and celebrating together present us with an image of unity, where there is no opposition between ‘righteous’ and ‘sinners,’ but we
share in each other’s joy. Chiara Lubich writes, ‘It is an invitation to understand the heart of God and to believe in his love. We are inclined to calculate and measure and sometimes we believe that even God’s love may grow weary… but God’s logic is not like ours. God is always waiting for us: indeed, we bring him immense joy every time – even though it be an infinite number of times that we return to him.’ (ii)

“Rejoice with me, for I have found my lost sheep.”

Sometimes we can be those shepherds, those caretakers, for one another and lovingly search for those who have drifted away from us, from our friendship or from our community. We can look out for the marginalized, the lost, the people driven to the peripheries by the trials of life.

A teacher told us ‘Some pupils didn’t come to classes regularly. When I was free, I used to go to the market near the school because I hoped to see them there because I knew some of them worked there to earn money. One day I finally found them. They were amazed that I had gone to look for them personally and were struck by the fact that they were really important to the whole school community. So they started to come to school regularly and it truly was a celebration for everyone.’

by Patrizia Mazzola & the Word of Life Team

i  cf Lk. 15:8 & 15:11
ii  C. Lubich Word of Life Sept 1986

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“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Lk 12:34).

The evangelist, Luke, reports that Jesus shared this teaching with his disciples as they were walking towards Jerusalem, the place of the Passover of his death and resurrection. On the way, he addressed them as ‘little flock’ (i) and he confided all that lay deep within his heart and soul. These thoughts included a need for detachment from earthly possessions, trust in the Father’s providence, inner vigilance and the importance of living in active expectation of the Kingdom of God.

In the preceding verses, Jesus encouraged the disciples to have an attitude of detachment and not worry about themselves or even their own lives. He told them not to be concerned about material needs because their Father in heaven knows all that is necessary. He invited them instead to seek the Kingdom of God and encouraged them to accumulate ‘a sure treasure in heaven.’ (ii) Jesus was not promoting a passive and disinterested attitude towards earthly things or irresponsible conduct at work. His intention was to take away our anxiety, our restlessness and our fear.

“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. “

In this context, the ‘heart’ means the unifying centre of the person that gives meaning to everything he or she lives; it is where there is sincerity and no deception or pretence. It usually indicates one’s true intentions, what one really thinks, believes and wants. The ‘treasure’ is what is most valuable to us and, therefore, our priority. It is what we believe gives security both now and in the future.

Pope Francis wrote: “In a world where everything is bought and sold, people’s sense of their worth appears increasingly to depend on what they can accumulate with the power of money. We are constantly being pushed to keep buying, consuming and distracting ourselves, held captive to a demeaning system that prevents us from looking beyond our immediate and petty needs.” (iii)

But, in the innermost depths of every woman and man, there is an ever- present search for that true happiness that does not disappoint and that no material goods can satisfy.

Chiara Lubich wrote: ‘Yes, there is what you seek: in your heart there is an infinite and immortal yearning; a hope that does not die; a faith that breaks through the darkness of death and is light to those who believe: it is not for nothing that you hope ,that you believe! Not for nothing!

You hope, you believe in order to LOVE.’ (iv)

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

This Word invites us to make an examination of conscience: what is my treasure, what do I value most? The answer may have many nuances such as economic status but also fame, success and power. Experience tells us that we must continually bring ourselves back to real life that does not simply slip away, to the radical and demanding life of evangelical love: ‘It is not enough for a Christian to be good, merciful, humble, meek and patient… In relationship with neighbours, he or she must practise the charity that Jesus taught us. […] For charity is not a readiness to give life. It is giving life.’ v

We should love every neighbour we meet during the day (in the family, at work, everywhere) with this measure. If we live not thinking of ourselves, but thinking of and living for others, we experience true freedom.

Augusto Parody Reyes & the Word of Life Team

(i) Lk 12:32
(ii) Lk 12:33
(iii) Pope Francis Dilexit nos, no. 218
(iv) C. Lubich “Letters of the Early Times.” June 1944
(v)  C. Lubich extract taken from conference call