December 10/Second Thursday of Advent
“From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent are taking it by force.” ~ Matt 11.12
The events of the last several months — the relentless advance of the corona virus, the civil unrest as our country has reckoned anew with acts of racism, the political volatility of this election year — have led people to say and do things they ordinarily would not. Nerves are rattled, inhibitions are loosened, and it sometimes seems that the violent in word or deed are going to prevail after all. As this tumultuous year draws to a close, we may wonder what we can do to bring about peace. Jesus demonstrates what it looks like to resist — and ultimately overcome — the forces of violence. He loved and forgave his enemies — as we might do, rather than cancelling them. He turned the other cheek — as we might do, rather than scheming to “get even.” And he consistently offered God’s mercy to a broken world. As Pope Francis has observed, Christ “taught that the true battlefield, where violence and peace meet, is the human heart.” To counter violence, then, we must start with ourselves. We can sow the seeds of peace in our immediate surroundings, in our everyday actions and attitudes. This might mean practicing patience, respect, and forgiveness in our family life — not always an easy task! — or striving to get along with a difficult neighbor, or working to find common ground in our polarized communities. And whether we are on social media or not, we can all try to reach beyond provocation to understanding. As we witness, and experience, the violence that threatens to engulf the world and bear the kingdom of God away, let us beat the swords of cruelty into plowshares of love, the spears of acrimony into the pruning hooks of mercy.
God of wisdom and grace, Help me scatter the seeds of peace everywhere my path takes me today. Amen.
For today’s readings, click here: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/121020.cfm
To hear the Dragon School, Oxford, sing “Make Me a Channel of Your Peace,” click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2svZhZT6Pro
