Becoming Peacemakers – Br. David Vryhof

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Br. David Vryhof

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” (Matthew 5:9)

There was “peace” in Jesus’ day. It was called the Pax Romana, the peace of Rome, and it was the product of the Roman Empire using its superior military force to beat down its opponents to the point that they were no longer able to resist. It was a “peace” that was obtained and maintained by violence. Jesus lived in Roman-occupied Palestine and was well acquainted with the Pax Romana. He saw how the Romans maintained this “peace” by dominating their subjects with brute force. Roman peace relied on daily intimidation, quick and cruel punishment (including crucifixion), and the constant threat of retaliation and destruction. Resistance to Rome was met with crushing violence.

This was not the peace which God had promised, nor was it the peace the prophets envisioned. That peace was shalom, and it meant wholeness, safety, and well-being for an individual or a group. Shalom extended beyond the mere absence of conflict. It was a gift from God, representing completeness in one’s relationship with God and harmony in one’s relationships with others. Shalom is what Jesus was offering when he said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid” (John 14:27). Shalom overcomes our anxieties and fears with a deep and abiding calm that results from placing our whole trust in God.

The peace that comes from God is a gift, but it is also a peace for which we can and must strive. Jesus blesses the peacemakers, which goes beyond those who simply enjoy peace to those who actually work for peace. Peacemakers are called “the children of God” because their peacemaking reflects the generosity and benevolence of God, who “makes the sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous” (Matthew 5:45).

There is a difference between “peacekeepers” and “peacemakers.” Peacekeepers are those who seek to maintain peace by avoiding conflict. They typically downplay tension between individuals or within a group to maintain the façade of peace. They will sacrifice their own inner peace to keep others happy. Peacekeepers hate rocking the boat and are uncomfortable with discord, so they do their best to steer clear of conflict.

Peacemakers, on the other hand, are those who are willing to resolve both outer and inner turmoil to establish peace with others and within themselves. Inevitably, peacemaking requires engaging in conflict and tension to help bring the situation to a solid resolution. Peacemaking is active, engaging with differences to find resolutions, while peacekeeping is passive, keeping things as they are by separating parties or smoothing things over.

Jesus was and is a peacemaker who embraced our human condition, confronting and overcoming the power of evil that enslaved us, speaking the truth with compassion, and offering us a lasting, authentic peace, a peace that the world could not give. When God raised him from the dead, God vindicated him and proved for all time that God’s strength is greater than human strength, that God’s love can and will prevail over human hatred, that God’s wisdom and truth is everlasting. The peace that God gives is true peace, not the false peace that is obtained and maintained through power and violence. We can choose to live in that victory during this Easter season (and beyond) and challenge ourselves to be peacemakers, actively addressing the conflicts and tensions that arise between humans and offering compassion and understanding and real solutions that enable us to move forward.

Receive God’s peace, share God’s peace and work for God’s peace in this season of joy and victory. Shalom!

For Reflection

Jesus lived during the Pax Romana, the peace created and enforced by Roman domination. In what ways was the Pax Romana a false peace, and where do you see similar efforts for peace through violence and domination in the world today?

What is the difference between being a peacekeeper and a peacemaker? Can you think of situations in your own life where you have acted as a peacekeeper and a peacemaker? Try to come up with an example of both.

Is there a situation in your life (or in your family or workplace or community or country or world) for which God is calling you to be a peacemaker?