MONTHLY PEACE MESSAGE
Work for Disarmament
I do not minimize the complexity of the problems that need to be faced in achieving disarmament and peace. But I am convinced that we shall not have the will, the courage, and the insight to deal with such matters unless in this field we are prepared to undergo a mental and spiritual reevaluation, a change of focus which will enable us to see that the things that seem most real and powerful are indeed now unreal and have come under sentence of death.
It is not enough to say, “We must not wage war.” It is necessary to love peace and sacrifice for it. We must concentrate not merely on the eradication of war but on the affirmation of peace.
So we must see that peace represents a sweeter music, a cosmic melody that is far superior to the discords of war. Somehow we must transform the dynamics of the world power struggle from the nuclear arms race, which no one can win, to a creative contest to harness man’s genius for the purpose of making peace and prosperity a reality for all the nations of the world. In short, we must shift the arms race into a “peace race.” If we have the will and determination to mount such a peace offensive, we will unlock hitherto tightly sealed doors of hope and bring new light into the dark chambers of pessimism.
—Martin Luther King, Jr. in The Words of Martin Luther King, Jr.; selected by Coretta Scott King
Previous Peace Messages
Do Not Judge
Saying no to death therefore starts much earlier than saying no to physical violence, whether in war or entertainment. It requires a deep commitment to the words of Jesus: “Do not judge.” It requires a no to all the violence of heart and mind. I personally find it one of the most difficult disciplines to practice. Constantly I find myself making up my mind about somebody else: “He cannot be taken seriously. She is really just asking for attention. They are rabble rousers who only want to cause trouble.” These judgments are a form of moral killing. I label my fellow human beings, put them in some fixed category at a safe distance from me. By judging others, I take false burdens upon myself. By my judgments I divide my world into those who are good and those who are evil, and thus I play God…
A peacemaker never judges anybody. Neither a neighbor close by, nor a neighbor far away. Neither friends nor enemies. It helps me to think about peacemakers as persons whose hearts are so anchored in God that they do not need to evaluate, criticize, or weigh the importance of others.
--Henri J. M. Nouwen, quoted in Peace Is The Way, edited by Walter Wink
Make Peace in Your Family
It is easy to want peace and love peace. It is easy to say, “Leave me in peace,” but are we prepared to struggle for peace, which would mean to enter into places of conflict in the family; in the community; wherever? And if we are prepared to enter into places of conflict, are we aware that we are vulnerable and can be hurt?
We can talk about peace, world peace, but we must also talk about peace in our families. We must talk about peace with our children. We must talk about peace as man helps woman to become fully herself and woman helps man to become fully himself, as parents love children so much that they help them to become fully themselves. Not just to enter a group, or a tribe, but to become fully human in communion with God, that’s what God wants, for “the glory of God is people fully alive.” The Word became flesh to bring us together; to bring us together in family, where we truly love each other. Not just the men going off to the pub to drink Guinness and the women left all alone; not just the men looking at television and football, but men and women together, loving each other and being a sign of God for each other. If our families are places of love; if parents and children are helping each other to become fully human, to become fully alive, then peace will come in our land. Peace will come between cultures; peace will come in our world.
—Jean Vanier in Encountering “The Other”
Pope’s Benedict XVI’s World Day of Peace Message
At the threshold of a New Year
Each year, the pope issues a statement for January 1 known as his 'World Day for Peace' message. This year's message is titled: "Fighting Poverty to Build Peace: Poverty contributes to conflict."
“Back in 1993, my venerable Predecessor Pope John Paul II, drew attention to the negative repercussions for peace when entire populations live in poverty. Poverty is often a contributory factor or a compounding element in conflicts, including armed ones.
Disarmament is necessary for development.
“An excessive increase in military expenditure risks accelerating the arms race, producing pockets of underdevelopment and desperation, so that it can paradoxically become a cause of instability, tension and conflict. As my venerable Predecessor Paul VI wisely observed, ‘the new name for peace is development’. States are therefore invited to reflect seriously on the underlying reasons for conflicts, often provoked by injustice, and to practice courageous self-criticism. If relations can be improved, it should be possible to reduce expenditure on arms. The resources saved could then be earmarked for development projects to assist the poorest and most needy individuals and peoples: efforts expended in this way would be efforts for peace within the human family” (no. 6).
Read and reflect on the Pope’s entire statement.
“Peace must be born of mutual trust between nations rather than imposed on them through fear of one another's weapons. Hence everyone must labor to put an end at last to the arms race, and to make a true beginning of disarmament.” -Gaudium et Spes, Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, Second Vatican Council, 1965