Why Peace is Elusive?

The word “elusive” refers to something that is not easily found, one that always escapes our grasp. So when we consider peace as elusive we are referring to something outside of ourselves.

Another expression ‎which is also understood as outside of ourselves is “Give peace a chance” which can refer to something that someone is trying to do and finding it difficult because we are putting obstacles which hinder his chances of achieving what he plans to do. So again we give a chance or an opportunity for something outside us to exist and call it peace.

But St. Paul, who was an enemy of peace and was changed to an apostle of peace, called Jesus Christ “our peace.” He said: “For Christ is our peace, he who has made two peoples one, by destroying in his own flesh the wall — the hatred — which separated us.” (Eph 2:14-15)

So to St. Paul peace, shalom in the Hebrew language, is a person, the person of Jesus Christ, God in human form. Thus peace is a person who gets rid of hatred between 2 peoples by suffering and dying for them, an action motivated by love.

During this Mindanao Week of Peace let us ask the Holy Spirit make us Christ-like for this is why we were “christened” in baptism. Being Christ-like is the same as being shalom. And being shalom is being whole and integrated in soul and spirit, a lovable and loving personality.

To be a real and effective peacemaker and to make others like himself one must be ready to suffer and die for those who are separated by hatred, prejudice and biases.

So the song, Let there be Peace on Earth, is correct because it says that peace must begin with ME!