Blessings of peace, mercy, and hope to all of you, my brothers and sisters in Christ.
We gather today in a world torn by strife, where the cries of the suffering echo across deserts and cities, where justice is too often denied, and where the vulnerable—our children, our mothers, our brothers and sisters—are left to perish in the shadows of war and indifference. Yet we are not a people without hope, for we are the children of a God who calls us to be peacemakers, to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with Him.
The Call to Peace in a World of Conflict
In Gaza, in Sudan, in every land where the drums of war drown out the voices of reason, we hear the words of our Lord: "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God." (Matthew 5:9). Peace is not merely the absence of war—it is the active pursuit of reconciliation, the courage to lay down arms, the wisdom to seek dialogue over destruction. The negotiations for hostages, the fragile ceasefires, the desperate pleas of mothers—these are not just political matters. They are spiritual battles. If we do not answer the call to peace, if we allow hatred to dictate our future, then we will see not only the destruction of cities but the death of our own humanity.
Imagine, instead, a world where Christians, Muslims, Jews, and all people of goodwill join hands to rebuild what war has shattered. Imagine a world where the bloodshed ends because good men and women refused to stay silent. This is not a dream—it is our divine mandate.
Justice and Mercy: The Two Wings of God’s Love
In Peru, we see the painful tension between justice and mercy. Can there be forgiveness for atrocities? Can there be healing without truth? The prophet Micah reminds us: "What does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy" (Micah 6:8). Justice without mercy is vengeance. Mercy without justice is indifference. We must demand accountability, yes—but we must also be instruments of God’s healing grace.
If we fail in this, if we allow cycles of violence to continue unchallenged, we will see societies crumble under the weight of unhealed wounds. The blood of the innocent will cry out from the earth, and we will stand condemned for our silence.
The Cry of the Vulnerable: Will We Answer?
In Sudan, children starve. In refugee camps, orphans weep. In forgotten corners of the world, widows are left to suffer alone. And what does Scripture say? "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress" (James 1:27). If our faith does not move us to feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, and defend the defenseless, then our faith is dead.
The Church herself is not without fault in this modern age. Too often, we have been slow to act, divided in our response, or distracted by worldly concerns. One of our greatest failings today is our reluctance to fully embrace the poor, the refugee, the outcast—not just in words, but in deeds. I call upon every Catholic, every Christian, every person of conscience: Give generously. Advocate fiercely. Let no child of God be abandoned.
A Choice Between Two Futures
The path before us is clear. If we choose love, justice, and mercy, then with Christ’s help, we will see deserts bloom and swords turned into plowshares. But if we turn away—if we allow greed, hatred, and indifference to rule—then we will face a world of endless war, of famines unending, of nations collapsing under the weight of their own sins.
Let us be like Saint Maximilian Kolbe, who gave his life for another in the darkness of Auschwitz. Let us be living witnesses of Christ’s love in a world desperate for hope.
The time to act is now. The hour is urgent. The Lord is calling. Will you answer?
Amen.
What can we do?
The world is filled with conflict, injustice, and suffering, but each of us can take small, meaningful steps to make a difference. Here’s how we can contribute in practical ways:
Conflict and Peace
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