tvc . dsj . org | June 6 , 2017 COMMENTARY 13 A Message from Heaven : God is the only way to Peace
By Tony Magliano
Internationally syndicated social justice and peace columnist
Jesus said to his first disciples , and to all future disciples , “ Peace I leave with you ; my peace I give to you . Not as the world gives do I give it to you .”
But political leaders , governments , corporations and countless people seek the false and fleeting peace of the world which seduces the senses , minds and even souls into believing that having more stuff – including more weapons of war , more money for war , more training for war – will bring peace . To the contrary , this self-centered , materialistic , militaristic mentality and lifestyle only leads to personal emptiness , tense truces , war , and more war .
True and lasting peace , the peace our hearts are hungry for , the peace our world longs for , comes only from God . It is the “ Shalom ” – the right-relationship , serenity and harmony with the Creator , with ourselves , with each other and with all creation , best exemplified by the Father ’ s incarnate Son – which Jesus himself offers to us .
But the reception of God ’ s peace – the very indwelling of the Holy Spirit – requires the humility , trust and openness of a soul ready to attentively listen to God ’ s
word and faithfully follow in his footsteps .
But there always exists a tension between listening to and following the Holy One and listening to and following the evil one . The choice is ours .
“ I have set before you life and death , the blessing and the curse . Choose life , then , that you and your descendents may live , by loving the Lord , your God , obeying his voice , and holding fast to him ” ( Deut . 30 : 19-20 ).
“ Peace I leave with you ; my peace I give to you . Not as the world gives do I give it to you .”
As is so much the case today , 100 years ago so much of humanity was bent on choosing death and the curse . Europe and beyond was embroiled in World War I which claimed approximately 17 million lives and caused untold destruction .
The era surrounding 1917 was one extreme persecution for the church . From Mexico to France , from Portugal to Russia the followers of Christ were under fierce attack .
In Portugal , the newly installed atheistic republic pillaged Catholic churches and convents . Legislation was passed suppressing religious orders , religious feasts and the teaching of religion in schools . Most bishops were exiled and many priests were imprisoned .
But in the midst of human sin and pain , the God of life always chooses to suffer with his people . He always gives us the strength and courage to persevere in faith . And when necessary , he sends his mother .
One hundred years ago , on May 13 , 1917 , near the town of Fatima in Portugal , the Blessed Mother appeared to three children saying “ Please don ’ t be afraid of me . … I come from heaven .” With a rosary in her hand , she requested that they pray and devote themselves to the Holy Trinity . And she asked them to “ say the Rosary every day , to bring peace to the world and an end to the war .”
The rosary is a beautiful and powerful heavenly gift . The Marian intercessory prayers are comforting . The mysteries centering on the life , death , resurrection and ascension of our Lord are awesome to meditate upon , and can lead the soul into a sublime contemplative experience of our peaceful God .
In praying the rosary and other prayers for peace we become more peaceful persons who are more willing to spread the peace of God – the peace the world cannot give .
Tony Magliano is available to speak at diocesan or parish gatherings . Tony can be reached at tmag @ zoominternet . net .
By Gregory Kepferle
CEO , Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County and President , Charities Housing Development Corporation
The secular celebration of Father ’ s Day can bring up all the stereotypes of perfect fathers or the baggage of painful memories of less than perfect fathers or of fathers who have passed away or reflections on the father figures in our lives . In John ’ s Gospel ( John 14:9 ) Jesus says , “ He who has seen me , has seen the Father .” Aside from its theological meaning , the line evokes a psychological truth of how much we are influenced by our parents , for good or ill even as adults . “ Boy , you sound just like your Dad .”
At Catholic Charities , we work with quite a few fathers whose lives do not fit the stereotypes of the last century , but rather reflect the reality of the struggles to survive in our valley today . We welcome the refugee father who had to flee from war with his family ( and who lives with the pain that not everyone made it out safely ). We assist the immigrant father who works three jobs to keep his family together and who wants to get right with the law . We feed and visit the lonely grandfather whose own family may be in another state . We counsel the estranged father in how to learn parenting skills to be reunited with his children . We guide the teen
Father ’ s Day
father in how to escape the gangs and stay in school to get a job . We visit the imprisoned father who cannot see his own children . We inspire and connect the unemployed father with opportunities for work . We house the homeless father , so he and his family have a place to call home .
I am inspired to support this work at Catholic Charities , in part because of the lessons I keep learning from my own father . Be joyful . Sing . Dance . Enjoy life . Love nature . Love your family . Keep learning and teaching . Work hard , work smart and make work play . Listen . Be kind . Treat everyone with compassion . Wonder . Explore . Welcome the stranger . Once I asked Dad what we should include in our intellectual toolkit – what we need to consider as we live out our lives . He responded that we need to reflect on the enormity of time , the enormity of space , the infinitesimal tininess of a human life in space and time , and the importance to do the most good we can with the time we have , and to trust that God is in there somewhere .
If you want to join Catholic Charities as we help struggling fathers in our community , visit www . CatholicCharitiesSCC . org .
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