Thinking about the enormity of the problems that war and violence generate can mask the reality that each of us has a responsibility to be a peacemaker, to choose peace in every thought and action. The choices we make in our everyday lives reverberate through the whole of the universe; each of us matters and each of us has the power to shift more towards peace.
“We often think of peace as the absence of war, that if powerful countries would reduce their weapon arsenals, we could have peace. But if we look deeply into the weapons, we see our own minds—our own prejudices, fears and ignorance. Even if we transport all the bombs to the moon, the roots of war and the roots of bombs are still there, in our hearts and minds, and sooner or later we will make new bombs.
“To work for peace is to uproot war from ourselves and from the hearts of men and women. To prepare for war, to give millions of men and women the opportunity to practice killing day and night in their hearts, is to plant millions of seeds of violence, anger, frustration, and fear that will be passed on for generations to come.”
Thich Nhat Hanh in Living Buddha, Living Christ
“Ours is a world of nuclear giants and ethical infants. We know more about war than we know about peace, more about killing than we know about living. We have grasped the mystery of the atom and rejected the Sermon on the Mount.”
General Omar Nelson Bradley, 1893 – 1981
If we make a conscious choice to dedicate ourselves to a life of peace we can be an unstoppable force for good. Living the Sermon on the Mount, acting with love, practicing radical forgiveness, protecting and upholding the dignity of all life (not just the lives similar to ours or the ones we like), acknowledging our Oneness with each other, will make a difference.
We continue to pray a Novena for Peace asking for the strength and courage to make such choices.