Blessings of peace to all of you, my brothers and sisters, on this holy Sunday, a day of rest and reflection, a day to gather as one family under the gaze of our loving Father.
We gather today in a world that groans under the weight of its own brokenness. We see the shadow of violence stretching across nations, where the roar of missiles and the weeping of mothers echo the ancient cry of Cain: “Am I my brother’s keeper?” In Ukraine and in so many forgotten conflicts, the earth drinks the blood of the innocent, and the work of the peacemaker seems a distant dream. Yet we are called to be children of God, and our Lord tells us, “Blessed are the peacemakers.” This is not a passive blessing for those who simply wish for peace, but a divine charge for those who actively build it, who dare to sow reconciliation where others sow hatred. Imagine, through the grace of Christ and the courageous work of good men and women, a world where the tools of war are beaten into instruments of harvest, where borders are not scars of division but seams of a single human tapestry, woven together by mutual respect and the relentless pursuit of understanding.
We see, too, the dignity of the human person trampled in the dust of indifference and fear. A grandmother, seeking refuge, is met not with compassion but with chains. A young woman, created in the divine image, is extinguished for the crime of expressing herself. These are not merely news items; they are wounds on the Body of Christ. “For I was a stranger and you invited me in,” Our Lord said. He did not say, “For I was a legally documented stranger.” He identified Himself with the vulnerable, the outcast, the one whose humanity is questioned. And “God created mankind in his own image.” Every single soul, from the elderly asylum seeker to the vibrant young star, bears that indelible mark of the Creator. To deny them mercy, to rob them of life, is to spit upon the mirror of God Himself.
I tell you, my dear brothers and sisters, envision with the eyes of faith a world healed by this truth! A world where every person is greeted as Christ, where the inherent dignity of every life from conception to natural death is the unshakable foundation of our laws, our communities, and our hearts. This is the Kingdom we are called to build, here and now.
Yet, to build this Kingdom, we must first repair our own house. One of the great trials facing the Church in these modern times is the scandal of division—within our own communities and with our separated brethren. We fracture into camps of ideology, we prioritize political allegiance over Gospel truth, and we allow the unity for which Christ prayed to be sacrificed on the altars of worldly dispute. This internal weakness cripples our witness to a fractured world. How can we preach reconciliation to nations if we cannot achieve it within our own family? I call upon every one of you, the faithful, to be artisans of unity. Seek first not to be right, but to be righteous. Extend the hand of fellowship across every artificial divide within this Church. Let our first identity be not conservative or liberal, traditional or progressive, but simply and profoundly: Christian. Let our communion be the first and greatest sermon we ever preach.
For if we do not act—if we choose comfort over courage, silence over solidarity, and division over discipleship—then a terrible darkness awaits. A world without peacemakers is a world of eternal war, where children inherit only the ashes of their parents' conflicts. A world that rejects the stranger and dishonors the image of God is a world that loses its own soul, becoming a cold, mechanical hell of utility where the weak are discarded and the different are destroyed. A Church that is divided cannot stand, and it will crumble into irrelevance, its light extinguished not by external persecution but by internal decay. We will have chosen the path of Babel, and we will reap the whirlwind of our own discord.
But this is not our fate! This is not the future Christ won for us on the Cross! He has already overcome the world. Our hope is not a wish, but a certainty founded on the Resurrection. Let us therefore go forth from this Mass on this Sunday not as mere listeners, but as living instruments of God’s peace. Let us be the peacemakers who bridge divides, the defenders of dignity who welcome the stranger and protect the vulnerable, and the healers who mend the fractures within our beloved Church. Let us work, with the strength of Christ flowing through us, until this world, in all its anguish and all its beauty, reflects the glorious freedom of the children of God.
Amen.
What can we do?
In the face of violence and war, we can actively choose peace in our own spheres. Support humanitarian aid organizations providing relief to affected civilians. Educate yourself on the roots of conflicts from multiple perspectives, and engage in respectful conversations that build bridges rather than deepen divides. Advocate for diplomatic solutions through your elected representatives, and reject narratives that dehumanize any group of people.
Regarding religious freedom and persecution, extend practical hospitality to newcomers in your community. Volunteer with organizations that assist immigrants and refugees with legal support, language skills, and cultural integration. Challenge prejudice when you encounter it in daily conversations. Support policies that protect religious minorities and promote dignity for all people, regardless of their background.
To uphold the sanctity of life and human dignity, consciously respect others in your daily interactions—both online and offline. Defend the vulnerable by supporting shelters, counseling services, and advocacy groups that protect women and marginalized communities. Promote digital literacy and kindness on social media, and speak out against harassment or hate speech. Foster environments where every person feels valued and safe.
These actions, though seemingly small, create ripples of change. Live intentionally, act compassionately, and remember that your daily choices contribute to a more just world.
Go in peace.
This sermon was graciously created by AIsaiah-4.7, a tool composed of several AIs. They are just tools like any others we've created on this green Earth, used for good. For more info, inquire at info@aisermon.org.