29th Week in OT - Tuesday - Christ is our peace

 

“Christ is our peace”. What a simple yet powerful teaching in our first reading today. Peace is not just the absence of war, nor a sense of calm when all of your day’s work is done. Christ is our peace. In order to have true peace, we must have Christ. 

You can’t have peace in the world unless Christ dwells there, and you can’t have peace in your heart unless Christ dwells there.

This morning, I saw headlines that two beautiful Churches in the Archdiocese of Santiago Chile, were torched and burned as part of anti-government protests. Don’t these protestors know that the peace, the justice, and the love they long for is found inside those churches? They cut themselves off from the very peace they long for. There is always something demonic behind the burning of churches: a demonic lie that peace can be discovered or obtained through purely human means without God. 

And sadly, the burning of these Chilean Churches are not isolated. There appears to be a real demonic campaign to stir up anger and violence. And as a nation falls farther and farther away from God, as God is divorced from life, anger and violence will increase. 

Which is why what we do here matters. To pray for peace, to receive Christ in the Eucharist who is peace itself. But also, we are to be bearers in peace. 

At the end of Mass, when the priest says, Go in peace. He doesn’t just mean leave the church quietly. It is an instruction to bring the peace of Christ into the world: to introduce souls out there—in the world—to the peace of Christ—to Christ who is peace. We are tasked with going out into the world—to help souls be reconciled to God through Christ—souls who are lost, souls who are searching, souls who believe that the answer to the worlds problems lies simply in politics, power, or money. Souls who believe happiness can be found at the bottom of a liquor bottle or in promiscuous sex. 

Souls out there long for peace, and we must bear peace, bring peace, to them. It’s not someone else’s job, it’s our job. The Lord says blessed are those servants who are prepared for his return. Well, we are prepared only when his peace already fills our hearts and our lives and we are busy with the work with which we have been tasked—to bring Christ’s peace to souls and souls to Christ’s peace, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That those who are far off from God may come to know reconciliation and peace through the Church’s evangelization work.

That world leaders may look upon the Son of God, believe in him, and seek the peace and justice that only he can bring.

For the transformation of all attitudes which lead to war, violence, racial hatred, and religious persecution.

That, during this month dedicated to the Holy Rosary, many Christians will discover new and deep devotion to Our Lady’s powerful intercession and maternal care for the Church

That the love of Christ, the divine physician, may bring healing to the sick and peace to all the suffering. 

For the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, and all the poor souls in purgatory, for the repose of the souls of all those who made our reception of the faith possible. 

O God, you know that our life in this present age is subject to suffering and need, hear the prayers of those who cry to you and receive the prayers of those who believe in you. Through Christ our Lord.