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Gospel of Matthew 5:1-12
Blessed are the
peacemakers,
for they will be
called children of God. Blessed are they
who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the
Kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you
when they insult you and persecute you and utter every
kind of evil against you falsely because of me.
Prayers for Peace On Pentecost Sunday Pope Francis met with Israeli President Shimon Peres and Palestinian Leader Mahmud Abbas for a special evening of prayer and music at the Vatican Gardens. Already the media are saying this gesture won't lead to anything significant. The countries will continue to war with each other no matter the peace efforts enacted by the Pope!
I tend to think Pope Francis' gesture is a humble one. It pains me to hear of so much oppression, violence, neglect, and degradation of women and young children that take place in these nations. Two thumbs up for Pope Francis' ecumenical outreach...And very fitting for the celebration of Pentecost. Plant a seed and allow the Holy Spirit to guide it to fruition; that is, if God is willing. I think he is, but it's humanity's greed, power hungriness, and love of control that's causing so much unrest.
Will prayers for peace by three major leaders of monotheistic religions make a difference? Only time will tell....
Blessed are the Peacemakers Have you ever known a person who always seems so peaceful? They sincerely love people and desire the best for them. These men and women are willing to give all that they have to keep peace within their families, places of work, and places of worship. They just seem to have the flame of the Holy Spirit burning in their hearts at all times. Some important celebrity peacemakers who come to mind include Nelson Mandela, Ghandi, St. Pope John Paul II, and even Mother Theresa.
I remember as a child I used to occasionally go to Sunday school at my grandmother's Methodist church out in East Texas. My Sunday School teacher Charlsey was a friend of my grandmother. She was quite elderly but still loved to teach bible study. I remember she used to give me gifts whenever I'd come to visit. One time it was a bible. The most memorable of her gifts was a little wooden plaque that displayed: Blessed are the Peacemakers for they will be called the children of God. (Matthew 5:9) For years I hung that small plaque in my bedroom. Even after I became Catholic, I displayed this beautiful reminder of not only Ms. Charlsey but Our Lord's Beatitudes. I always think of the Beatitudes as the "brick and mortar" of Christ's teachings.
Let us be peacemakers in our own communities!
-J.
I tend to think Pope Francis' gesture is a humble one. It pains me to hear of so much oppression, violence, neglect, and degradation of women and young children that take place in these nations. Two thumbs up for Pope Francis' ecumenical outreach...And very fitting for the celebration of Pentecost. Plant a seed and allow the Holy Spirit to guide it to fruition; that is, if God is willing. I think he is, but it's humanity's greed, power hungriness, and love of control that's causing so much unrest.
Will prayers for peace by three major leaders of monotheistic religions make a difference? Only time will tell....
Blessed are the Peacemakers Have you ever known a person who always seems so peaceful? They sincerely love people and desire the best for them. These men and women are willing to give all that they have to keep peace within their families, places of work, and places of worship. They just seem to have the flame of the Holy Spirit burning in their hearts at all times. Some important celebrity peacemakers who come to mind include Nelson Mandela, Ghandi, St. Pope John Paul II, and even Mother Theresa.
I remember as a child I used to occasionally go to Sunday school at my grandmother's Methodist church out in East Texas. My Sunday School teacher Charlsey was a friend of my grandmother. She was quite elderly but still loved to teach bible study. I remember she used to give me gifts whenever I'd come to visit. One time it was a bible. The most memorable of her gifts was a little wooden plaque that displayed: Blessed are the Peacemakers for they will be called the children of God. (Matthew 5:9) For years I hung that small plaque in my bedroom. Even after I became Catholic, I displayed this beautiful reminder of not only Ms. Charlsey but Our Lord's Beatitudes. I always think of the Beatitudes as the "brick and mortar" of Christ's teachings.
Let us be peacemakers in our own communities!
-J.
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