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Higher Ground of Peace
By Rev. Dennis Gibbs, CDL
PRISM Restorative Justice, Los Angeles
As I write this on All Saints Day, I am thinking about Jesus’ teaching with the Beatitudes in his Sermon on the Mount. But most particularly I am thinking about the seventh of the nine Beatitudes: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”
Clearly in this teaching, Jesus is saying that one of the fundamental character traits of being a Christian is that we are to be people of peace.
We live in a world that in many ways is in conflict. War is constant among nations, people are fighting for freedom and cultures and societies are at odds within themselves. Here in America, conflict is found on our city streets, in our nation’s capital and in our households. Religion is divided too, when one group of believers claims God as more for one side than the other and conflict and division all too often finds its way into our parish pews.
Within all of this, God is calling us to higher ground…to holy ground. Jesus reminds us that as Christians we are to strive for something better that being taken hostage by power-trips that want to identify people as “winners” or “losers.” Jesus is calling us to a better identity – to be known as peacemakers – and in doing so we can know ourselves as the blessed people of God.
This calling to the higher ground of peace is about more than settling quarrels, although that is good. The peacemakers referred to in this Beatitude are those who make or bring about true peace – or serenity – within their own souls. It’s an inside job! This inner-work of creating peace within ourselves will find its way into the world – through us – if we can open ourselves to that reality.
This is the work of the saints that we are all called to. It may seem like too much. We may feel like this work of the higher ground of peace is beyond us. Nevertheless, God will not let us alone. God sent the prophets of Israel, seeking to make peace. God sent Jesus – as the peacemaker – to bring peace. And God calls us, as His children, to be peacemakers. God’s family always has room for more people like you and me, more saints who make peace. It may mean challenging the pride of nations or oppressive systems, or as simple as reaching out in friendship to a neighbor, but once peace begins to work among us, who knows what can happen? Or what we can become?
“There is no path to peace, but peace itself is the path.” This wonderful truth is a quote from Franciscan priest Richard Rohr. It reminds me that the path is always made by the walking. Peace is achieved by being peaceful. Nothing can replace that. Peace inspires more peace.
Let us be people of peace.
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