DAILY DEVOTIONAL
Thursday, May 17, 2018

Why are there wars, even wars within the Church?

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” – Matthew 5:9

Logic would conclude that if we are children of God then we are also about the work of peacemaking. If we claim to be a member of the family of God, then peacemaking is an aspect of our living. Yet, more often than not, we seem inept or unmotivated to work in this family business.

Peacemaking is a challenging work. Peacemaking involves many tasks and responsibilities. Peacemaking is about building bridges and not building walls. Peacemaking is about bringing a community together rather than dividing it.

Peacemaking is about making the sacrifice of self for the sake of the others. Peacemaking is about resolving conflict and not about finding glory in conflict. Peacemaking is about loving the enemy as hard as it may seem to do.

But our fears overwhelm our efforts to love. We are fearful of the threats and even more so the imagining of the threat.

And we defend vehemently our pride when it is humility we need. We are reluctant to confess and cleanse the enemy from within us. We rage with frustration rather rejoice in thanksgiving.

Peacemaking is indeed a challenging work, but it is the trade of Christ’s family. Peacemaking is difficult to accomplish and more often than not we fail in our effort … but still … we must try, we must try, we must try.

In Christ’s Service always,
Fr. Charitas de la Cruz