Fr Soroj Mullick SDB –
“Peace is a divine gift but at the same time the fruit of human efforts,” the Vatican message for Ramadan 2024 states. It continues, “The desire for peace and security is profoundly rooted in the soul of every person of good will, since no one can fail to see the tragic effects of war in the loss of human lives, the toll of serious injury and the throngs of orphans and widows.” Because of this, Ramadan calls for respect for the gift of life, the conviction that hatred, violence and war – which is “fratricide, useless, senseless, and dark” – must be rejected and peace preserved. For preserving this peace, we need “closeness and friendship” in order to “extinguish the fire of war and light the candle of peace.”
The ongoing production and trade of arms as the primary driving force, accompanied with the enduring human aspiration for control, geo-political ambitions, and economic interests are the roots of conflicts. The global human family suffers much from the devastating effects of the use of arms – as “dipping a morsel of bread in the blood of our brother”, says Pope Francis. Inter-State conflicts, armed clashes, military combat, criminal organizations, armed gangs, killing of innocent civilians, millions of people displaced, arms trade, immoral commerce, have been on the increase. This increase in hostilities is transforming “a third world war fought piecemeal” into “a genuine global conflict.”
Like the Christian Lent, Ramadan focuses more arduously on prayer, fasting, almsgiving. In fact, all religions consider human life sacred. Therefore, it must be respected and protected. Consciences are to be formed “to respect the absolute value of the life of each person and the right to physical integrity, security and a dignified life.”
Giving peace a chance requires courage and conviction, especially in a digital landscape where outrage and polarization often reign supreme. Yet, if we are to truly honor the legacy of Jesus, we must rise above the fray, resist the temptation to engage in hostility and vitriol, and instead strive to cultivate a culture of empathy, understanding, and respect.
Ultimately, living the Lent and Ramadan, or celebrating Easter, Resurrection or Id AI-FITR in the present times, is not just about restoring religious faith and practice and defend its ‘sacredness’ and its ‘greatness’, but about giving peace a chance. It is about reclaiming the transformative power of universal message of love and peace – a message that transcends time, culture, and ideology and speaks to the deepest longings of the human heart; reclaiming his message of compassion and kindness, and applying it to the challenges of the modern world. By embracing the values that each religious belief embodies and promoting a culture of dialogue and understanding, we can work towards a more peaceful and just society.
We recall the words of Jesus himself: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God” (Matthew 5:9). The word, Islam, coming from an Arabic root, etymologically means peace, salaam, or shalom in Hebrew. In a world torn apart by conflict and division, may we be instruments of peace, channels of love, and beacons of hope, both online and offline. The followers or believers of the world Religions must form a peace-attitude of the mind and heart that outlines a life program for them. It implies a total sharing of peace and unity as the way of life and a mission. All must imbibe the ability to observe it and put it into practice.
The very first greeting of the Resurrected Jesus is: “Peace be with you.” This must be the be-all and end-all of all faith practices. Faith is not just a subjective experience for one’s own salvation; rather, it is a way to peace, love and unity. Otherwise, all Religions are a fraud and fake. Universal peace is the fullness of God Kingdom on earth. True, that peace in this imminent world is not all. There is still a greater possibility for God to be up to a permanent peace. And the path of permanent peace is ever open to everyone. Jesus went all the way to death seeking this eternal peace – peace for all. The stunning lessons from Him and from the world-evil should stimulate us all to work for lasting peace.
Human beings are often trapped in their own remorse, unable to see hope at the end of the tunnel; they feel helpless, discredited. Peace is not the absence or removal of outside problems though; instead, peace infuses trust and hope for a better future; disheartened people are put at peace with themselves. Therefore, we move from remorse to a peace-mission, by breaking out of ourselves, from the self-absorption, from our self-centered imprisonment. Peace is an irreplaceable fruit of justice and human Rights; it is the absence of evil in us, for evil has its price. We, therefore, cannot run far away from our duty of finding peace through justice and Rights, thus emerge from the depths of abandonment – a sense of being unwanted. Peace is about being freed by setting our feet on the ground and keep walking in the midst of uncertainty. Consequently, peace rehabilitates us and lifts us up from the human dungeon of hopelessness, dispelling the darkness and fear that are residing within us. Peace touches our inner core to raise us up to confidence so that through a shared mission we can live a fuller life on earth. A renewal of peace happens, therefore, when we stoop humbly to serve and bind the wounded, and those broken hearted.
Pope Francis tells the Christians and Muslims, and all people of goodwill, to extinguish “the fires of hatred, violence and war, and instead light the gentle candle of peace.” God loves all those who devote their lives to the service of peace. Peace is an outcome of justice; it is the fruit of human efforts to build a just world. Human being is called to lay the conditions necessary for its preservation by “drawing upon resources of peace that are present in our rich human and religious traditions” and by acting as “witnesses of hope”. Again, at Easter “Urbi et Orbi” on Wednesday, 3rd April 2024, the Pope called for peace in the world amid global conflict, war, human suffering, destruction, homeless refugees, social tensions, humanitarian crises, human rights violations, and
human trafficking, proclaiming Jesus Christ as “the way of peace, reconciliation and fraternity.” War is “always an absurdity” and “a defeat.”
In the midst of these conflicts, people of goodwill of all Religions and non-believers are to enter into dialogue for building up of peace through “encounter, coexistence and pluralism” especially in Gaza, Syria, Lebanon, Ukraine, Russia, Western Balkans, Armenia and Azerbaijan, Rohingyas in Myanmar and Africa. Let us all break the ‘Good-Friday-Ramadan fast’ along with other religious groups, including the Bahá’, Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, and Taoists, in fellowship, friendship, solidarity and peace. Let our greetings to each other be: Shalom, Shanti, Peace, Salam, and serve our neighbors in need, thus contribute to the common good of the society.
Timely reflection. Appreciated.