Bible Text:

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

I’m told there’s a sign at the entrance of the St. Andrews Abbey in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains in California. It reads simply, “No Hunting Except for Peace.” We are always on the hunt for peace. 

Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons and daughters of God.” I think there is no doubt that disciples are to work for peace. There are many venues for doing that. We work to end wars of all kinds—wars in Iraq, in Liberia, and the drug wars of Columbia, South America. 

We work to turn swords into plowshares. Strength in compassion and caring is far greater than strength in weapons. The psalmist writes in Psalm 33, “A king does not win because of his powerful army. A soldier does not triumph because of strength. War horses are useless for victory. Their great strength cannot save.” We have come a long way since war horses, but weapons of war will not save us. 

We work against those things which create wars. Those things include greed, power struggles, the increasing gap between the rich and the poor. There is evidence that this gap is greater today than it has even been in our history. We work for peace in a local community. We work for peace between a residential constituency and their school board, or their township commissioners, or their borough council. We work for peace in neighborhood squabbles. 

“Blessed are the peacemakers,” says Jesus. We acknowledge all of these. Jesus calls us to be peacemakers. Whether we like it or not, whether we feel overwhelmed by it or not, the call is still there. 

However, I want to take a slightly different tack on this text today. I want to make the case that to work for peace (which is Jesus’ clear call), you must have a peaceful heart. Peace is more than getting rid of weapons which could destroy the earth. Peace is more than reallocating defense dollars to human needs. The first issue for a disciple is to create a peaceful heart within. 

I read an interesting editorial in the Christian Century this past June. There was an issue which arose over military chaplaincy. Apparently the Christian Century had advertised for military chaplains on its pages. Some readers took them to task for doing that. A few argued that chaplains are unconstitutional; therefore we should not be seeking new chaplains. Others argued that advertising for chaplains seemed to bless military action. 

John Buchanan responded to the editorials in firm language. He said, “I am not taking a position to agree or disagree with war. But I can tell you that chaplains bring a peaceful heart to soldiers.” 

In a secular sense, Bob Hope brought a peaceful heart to soldiers during his long tenure traveling millions of miles, providing a good word for our military personnel. 

Therefore, “Blessed are the peacemakers” may mean blessed are those who have a peaceful heart. When we have a peaceful heart we are better equipped to work for peace in a larger setting. 

What about you? Do you have a peaceful heart? You can’t be a peacemaker without one. You can’t really be used effectively by God without one. Yes, you can protest in some kind of a demonstration. You can write letters to senators and congressmen. But it’s very difficult to be a peacemaker without a peaceful heart. 

Are you at peace within yourself? How do you find, receive, or obtain a peaceful heart? How does it happen? 

WARS WITHIN 

First, you commit to prayer any places that are at war within you. It may be your relationship with a neighbor, a family member, a parent, or a friend. It may be a relationship with a co-worker, supervisor, or administrative support person. 

One writer says this: “To preserve peace, our hearts must be at peace with the world, with our brothers and our sisters… So working for peace must mean more than getting rid of weapons. It must start with uprooting war from ourselves and the hearts of all men and women.” 

Interestingly, Jesus makes this comment a few verses after our text for today. He says something very revealing: “You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders shall be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment.” (Matthew 5:21-22) 

Rowan Williams is the relatively new Archbishop of Canterbury. This spring he wrote a letter to Christians in the Middle East. This is part of what he said: “The deepest enemy to peace is always the spirit of grasping and clinging to what makes us feel safe, while in truth we shall only be safe when others are not frightened of us.”[i] 

In a book published a little over 10 years ago, the late John Cardinal Bernadin told the story of a man named Steven Cook. Cook had accused Bernadin of sexual abuse. The story is best forgotten except for the way it ended. Bernadin invited Cook to meet with him in Philadelphia. He wanted to forgive me him and to pray with him. The story unfolds this way. 

Steven Cook accepted that invitation and said that he wanted to apologize for the hurt and embarrassment he had caused. When the meeting happened, Mr. Cook told his story, including his alienation from the church. [The two] talked for a while. The cardinal said what he had come to say, and he gave Steven Cook an inscribed Bible and offered to celebrate Mass. Cook hesitated at first. Cardinal Bernadin took a 100-year-old chalice out of his case. “Steven, this is a gift from a man I don’t even know. He asked me to use it to say Mass for you some day.” “Please,” Steven responded tearfully, “let’s celebrate Mass now.”

Afterward, Steven Cook said, “A big burden has been lifted from me today. I feel healed and very much at peace.”[ii] 

Peacemaking begins with healing in the heart. 

USE THE TOOLS 

You commit yourself to prayer for the places at war within you. Then you avail yourself of the tools to deliver inner peace. 

That may include quiet moments each day to center your spirit. Each of you may do it somewhat differently. I try to walk each morning. It’s physical exercise and a time of quiet in my own soul. This week I was able to walk for a few days along the very peaceful shores of Lake Michigan. 

Some people do pottery as an act of centering their souls. As the wheel spins and the pot takes shape, forming a perfect circle with your hands is an act of spiritual centering as well. 

Sometimes you can be selective with reading. Consider what you read. Is it mostly violent or abrasive or action-oriented? Select something regularly that is more meditative. 

Sometimes it is a service of Taizé. The Taizé service this coming Wednesday evening is a tool for inner peace. It’s a quiet service in candlelight, filled with songs and Scripture and healing prayers. There must be a reason why 100,000 people every year make a pilgrimage to Taizé in France. Mostly they are young people. They worship in the community at least three times each day 

In our Taizé service here at Christ Church we almost always begin with the same music, sung six or seven times in repetitive fashion. The words are very meaningful to me. 

Come and fill our hearts with your peace,

You alone, O Lord, are holy.

Come and fill our hearts with your peace,

Alleluia. 

We are powerful people when we practice the presence of peace of God. We are powerful peacemakers when we practice the presence of the peace of God. 

Mother Teresa once said, “Peace is not something you wish for; it’s something you make, something you do, something you are, something you give away.” 

I do not denigrate or devalue political and social action for peace. But I am convinced that peace happens mostly through those who have a God-infused peaceful heart. 

LIVE IN HOPE 

Peacemakers examine their own hearts. Peacemakers use the right tools for inward peace. Then peacemakers live in hope. 

Janice Love is a lay woman from South Carolina. She is also the current moderator of the World Council of Churches. One writer says this of her: “When Janice Love gets up every morning, she thinks big, hopes big. She expects world peace to break out, nothing less. Peace across the globe—in the Middle East, Africa, South America, on every continent and in the United States too. Maybe not today or tomorrow, but sometime. As a Christian, she has to believe it’s possible. No matter how naïve it sounds, there is no other choice.” Janice Love herself writes these words. 

You plug away at conflict resolution for years without seeing the fruits, but they will come. You have to believe world peace can break out. You have to have the ultimate belief that love really does overcome hate. We are called to be faithful to that.[iii]

Janice Love wants to put in a good word for naïve optimism. She spearheads an international initiative from 2001-2010. It is a breathtaking initiative entitled, “A Decade to Overcome Violence.” 

She calls the world’s churches to tap into our spiritual creativity. We are to minimize the climate of violence in all forms and from all origins. Overcoming violence is a spiritual issue. In that sense, peacemaking is a spiritual issue. 

There’s a story of a woman who wanted peace in the world. Her heart was heavy. She was frustrated. The world seemed to be falling apart. 

So she did what a lot of other people do when they get frustrated. She went to the mall to shop. She picked a mall store at random. When she walked into the store she was surprised to see Jesus behind the counter. Finally she got up the nerve to ask, “Are you Jesus?”  

“I am,” he replied.  

“Do you work here?” 

“No, I own the store.” 

“What do you sell here?” 

“Just about everything. Look around. Make a list, and get back to me here at the counter.” 

She walked around the store. She began to see all the things that were available there. She wrote on her list furiously: peace on earth; no more war; no hunger or poverty; no more drugs; clean air; careful use of resources. 

She brought her list to the counter and handed it to Jesus. Jesus scanned the list quickly and then said to her, “No problem.” He bent down and picked up a large handful of seed packets. 

The woman looked at the packets in astonishment. “I don’t get the finished product?” 

“No,” said Jesus, “I give you the seeds. You plant the seeds. You go home and nurture them and help them grow.”[iv] 

Let the Master of life plant the seeds of peace in your heart today. Nurture those seeds and help them grow. And then know the promise. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons and daughters of God.”