By Verghese V Joseph –
In his General Audience on Wednesday morning that took place in the Library of the Vatican Apostolic Palace, Holy Father while resuming the cycle of catechesis on the Beatitudes, focused his meditation on the seventh: “Blessed are the peacemakers, because they will be called children of God” (Mt 5,9).
After summarizing his catechesis in different languages, the Pope Francis addressed particular expressions of greeting to the faithful. Today’s catechesis was dedicated to the seventh beatitude, that of the “peacemakers”, who are proclaimed children of God. “I am glad that it happens immediately after Easter, because the peace of Christ is the fruit of his death and resurrection, as we have heard in the Reading of Saint Paul. To understand this bliss one must explain the meaning of the word ” peace “, which can be misunderstood or sometimes trivialized,” he said.
“We must orient ourselves between two ideas of peace: the first is the biblical one, where the beautiful word shalòm appears , which expresses abundance, prosperity, well-being. When in Hebrew one wishes shalòm, one wishes for a beautiful, full, prosperous life, but also according to truth and justice, which will be fulfilled in the Messiah, prince of peace (cf. Is 9,6; Mic 5,4-5),” the Pontiff underlined.
“Then there is the other sense, more widespread,” he further said, “whereby the word “peace” is understood as a sort of inner tranquility: I am calm, I am at peace. This is a modern, psychological and more subjective idea. Peace is commonly thought to be quiet, harmony, internal balance. This meaning of the word “peace” is incomplete and cannot be absolutized, because restlessness in life can be an important moment of growth. Many times it is the Lord himself who sows uneasiness in us to go to meet him, to find him. In this sense it is an important moment of growth; while it may happen that inner tranquility corresponds to a domesticated conscience and not to a true spiritual redemption. Many times the Lord must be a “sign of contradiction” (cf. Lk2.34-35), shaking our false assurances, to bring us to salvation. And at that moment it seems to have no peace, but it is the Lord who puts us on this path to reach the peace that He himself will give us.”
At this point the Holy Father suggested that one must remember that the Lord understands his peace as different from the human one, that of the world, when he says: “I leave you peace, I give you my peace. Not as the world gives it, I give it to you “( Jn 14:27 ). That of Jesus is another peace, different from the worldly one.”
Holy Father pondered on how does the world give peace? “If we think about war conflicts, wars normally end in two ways: either with the defeat of one of the two parties, or with peace treaties. We can only hope and pray that this second way may always be taken; however we must consider that history is an infinite series of peace treaties denied by successive wars, or by the metamorphosis of those same wars in other ways or in other places. Even in our time, a “piecewise” war is fought on several scenarios and in different ways. We must at least suspect that in the context of a globalization made above all of economic or financial interests, the “peace” of some corresponds to the “war” of others. And this is not the peace of Christ!” the Pope said.
The Pope followed it up by saying, “Instead, how does the Lord Jesus “give” his peace? We have listened to Saint Paul saying that the peace of Christ is ” making two, one ” (cf. Eph 2:14), canceling enmity and reconciling. And the way to accomplish this work of peace is his body. Indeed, he reconciles all things and makes peace with the blood of his cross, as the Apostle himself says elsewhere (cf. Col 1:20).”
And here the Pope wondered, “We can all ask ourselves: who, then, are the “peacemakers”? The seventh beatitude is the most active, explicitly operative; the verbal expression is analogous to that used in the first verse of the Bible for creation and indicates initiative and industriousness. Love by its nature is creative – love is always creative – and seeks reconciliation at any cost. Those who have learned and exercise the art of peace are called children of God, they know that there is no reconciliation without the gift of one’s own life, and that peace must always be sought. Always and anyway: don’t forget this! It should be looked for like this. This is not an autonomous work which is the fruit of one’s own abilities, it is a manifestation of the grace received from Christ, who is our peace, who made us children of God.”
Pope Francis stressed that true shalòm and true inner balance flow from the peace of Christ, which comes from his Cross and generates a new humanity, embodied in an infinite host of saints, saints, inventive, creative, who have always devised new ways to love. The Saints, the Saints who build peace. This life as children of God, who seek and find their brothers for the blood of Christ, is true happiness. Blessed are those who go this way.
The General Audience ended with the recitation of the Pater Noster and the Apostolic Blessing.