PEACE BE WITH YOU

PEACE BE WITH YOU

 

“… go first and be reconciled with your brother…” – Matthew 5:24

 

I have been to places in the country where peace is such a priceless, precious, yet seemingly elusive dream.

I visited Jolo, Sulu many times. I led a peace rally in Iligan the day before it was bombed and attacked. I sat down with priests and peace advocates of the Silsilah Dialogue Movement in Zamboanga where Christians and Muslims live together in a haven called Harmony Village.

This is what I discovered: that peace is attained through continuous dialogue and understanding. And that ignorance, prejudice, unforgiveness, revenge and a narrow-minded, closed attitude bring “unpeace.” Because peace is in the mind, heart and soul, more than just the absence of war or external aggression. And these truths aren’t only for inter-faith dialogues.

In our homes, our neighborhood, our workplace or in our church communities,  when there is no dialogue and understanding, there is no peace. No wonder the Gospel says, “If you are about to offer your gift to God… (first) make peace with your brother.” If we are all indeed children of God, then there is so much goodness in each one of us. Peace is connecting to that innate goodness. Alvin Barcelona(alvinbarcelona@gmail.com)

 

REFLECTION:

Are you at peace? If not, what is the source of your “unpeace”? Dialogue with and understand more – yourself, others, and God – and rediscover true peace!

 

“Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace. Where there is hatred let me sow love…”                                 

MORE

 

We all know the kind. You ask them to do some work for you and they surprise you at the end with something more than you asked for — a finished product done with flair, something done with style; on the whole, a tad different and better than what most people would likely do. You are most likely motivated to reward them, at least with profuse praises and sincere words of thanks. You are sincerely appreciative of what they do. For they go the proverbial extra mile to fulfill their simple task. And we all know the glaring truth. Some do things better than others. Some succeed while others fail. But it has nothing to do with talent. I ally myself with John Maxwell who writes, “Talent is never enough.”

These individuals have more than just talent. They have what Goleman and Gardner call EQ (emotional quotient), as distinct from IQ (intelligence quotient). They have inner resources that others may not have. They also have SQ (spirituality quotient). Bishop Anthony Bloom refers to such individuals as people who live in three dimensions, in a world where most live only in two — the here and the now. The third dimension is what leads one, talent or no talent, to beg the Lord: “Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.” He takes refuge, not only in skills, but in God who, he believes, “will show [him] the path to life.”

There is more to life than skills and talents; more than mere technical abilities and know-how. In the dimensions of the here and the now, talents and skills count as most important. But if one incorporates the third dimension — the hereafter — the law of God factors in prominently. In a two-dimensional world, certain man-made laws seem to make sense, as in the case of the reproductive health bill. In a flattened world, it makes sense to have less mouths to feed and less people to do charity to.

The Alleluia verse confirms the need for more: “Happy are they who have kept the word with a generous heart, and yield a harvest through perseverance.” Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB

 

Reflection Question:

Do I rely on my talents and skills alone? How does God’s grace and blessing factor in as I fulfill my life’s purpose?

 

O Most Generous God, thank You for giving me talents that I can use for Your purpose. Always remind me that more than all these, You are my best resource.

 

Blessed Olive, pray for us.