Weekly HOMILY for July 8, 2007: Being a Person of Peace

14th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Cycle C
Our Lady of Grace
July 8, 2007

Being a Person of Peace
By (Rev. Msgr.) Nicholas P. Amato


Conflict

I imagine that most of us have found ourselves in conflict with another person at some point in our lives.

I have to believe that each of us, myself included, has been in conflict with a friend, a spouse, a parent, a son or daughter, an employer or employee. Such conflicts are part of the human condition.

They are inevitable in the course of human relationships. Sometimes, these conflicts get very heated and we feel very angry.

Sometimes there are hurtful words and even hurtful actions.

The key question is: how can we maintain or re-establish a sense of peace both within ourselves and with the other person in these conflicts?


Being Peaceful

In today’s Gospel, Jesus is sending the disciples out to announce the Kingdom of God.

He says: “Into whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this household.’ If peaceful persons are there, your peace will rest on them.”

Apparently, peace or peacefulness – both within ourselves and within our relationships –is central to God’s presence and message. And so, we must ask: “What is involved in being a peaceful person?”

“What is involved in being persons who want to be at peace with others?” This evening (morning) I would like to share some ideas that are based on my own life experience.

I find that when I pay attention to these, they help me to get hold of myself and do what I can to maintain or re-establish peace. Let’s call these six stepping stones to peace.


Six Stepping Stones to Peace

Number 1: Take time to pray, reflect and get some distance. Some people would simply say: count to ten before saying or doing anything.

I would say that it is an important thing to draw the Lord into the conflict through prayer. This enables us to get hold of ourselves, to put things in perspective, and to allow the power of God to actually assist us.

Number 2: Respond; do not react. There is a big difference between the two.

When we react, we quickly, often without thought, act on what has happened and we may do this on a purely emotional level. However, when we respond, we act from what is best within us – from the kind of person God wants us to be and the kind of person we ourselves really want to be.

Number 3: Be willing to talk and to listen. Perhaps after a cooling-off period, we might invite the other person to talk together.

Or, on the other side, be willing to accept an invitation to have a conversation and do this face to face, in person.

Number 4: The adage holds true, if we don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all. Do not demonize the other person or make them out as all bad.

Be tempered and balanced. Make sure we see the good, the positive thing in the other person and tell say this.

Number 5: Acknowledge that there are some things I am not good at. Admiting a mistake I may have made that contributed to the problem goes a very long way.

Once again, the use of cooling-off or distance or prayer may be essential for me to have the insight and willingness to do this, but, doing this is crucial in peacemaking.

And Number 6: As a general rule in life, say “Please,” “Thank you,” “Excuse me,” things like that. Say these things to those close to us, particularly to people whom we are prone to take for granted.

And say these things to people at work, to people we do not even know, or even people who have offended us. Theses expressions create a peaceful atmosphere and lead to peaceful persons and relationships.


Conclusion

So, having the peace of the Lord within us, bringing that to others, allowing others to bring it to us – all of this is central to being a disciple of the Lord.

It is central to spreading the Kingdom of God on this earth.

It is central to becoming the kind of persons that God is calling us to be.