Peacemaker

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Peacemaker 

Child of God

Mend Brokenness Wholeness 

Persecuted for Sake Righteousness 

Beatitude

(Photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture: Matthew 5:9

“Blessed are the peacemakers, they will be called the children of God.”

Reflection 

We live in a world that needs peacemakers. Jesus calls us to be peacemakers. It is quite a challenge!

Where do we start?

It is important to realize that we are all children of God. If I see each person in this way, my attitude immediately changes. The person or country that I am upset with and contending with has the same Father that I have.

We might come from different countries, the color of our skin might be different, our language might be different, and we might have a different faith but we are all part of the same family: the Family of God.

We are called to mend our feelings of being misunderstood and treated unjustly. We do that by patient listening to the concerns of others. We have to realize that we don’t always get it right. We have to acknowledge that our opponent might be right.

Those relationships sinking into brokenness can be repaired. We see that in so many bitter conflicts.

I was at a meeting a few years ago with two young adults in their twenties who grew up in an atmosphere of brokenness. One was an Israeli and the other a Palestinian.

They were taught to hate one another from their earliest years. Coming together in a college program that was aiming at healing brokenness, they actually started to listen to the concerns of each other.

In this process they came to accept one another and to see the validity in the viewpoint of the other. Eyes and hearts were opened. They moved from brokenness to wholeness. They became good friends and dedicated their time to going around the world to speak to diverse groups about how these broken relationships between Israelis and Palestinians could be made whole.

They were not naive. They knew that this would be very difficult. They knew that they would face opposition and even persecution.

However, they also knew that this was right. They were convinced that each one, although of a different faith, was a child of God and must be respected and valued. They were peacemakers.

The one quality that was clear to me as they shared was the spirit of genuine happiness and joy that radiated from them as they spoke. They were open to all questions and viewpoints. They were living beatitude.

They knew that God had blessed them with a special gift—-the gift of being able to listen to the heart of another person.

The gift of becoming a peacemaker.

It is a calling that is universal.

It is a calling that is needed today.

It is my calling and your calling from God!

1. How is God calling you to be a peacemaker?

2. Do you feel that every person you meet is a child of God?

3. What is the brokenness within you that needs to be mended so that you can become a peacemaker?

4. Are you willing to be persecuted for the sake of righteousness?

5. What do you see as you contemplate Kathy’s photo?

(Scripture adaptation, reflection, and questions by John McNamara)