In Matthew’s Gospel (Chapter 11), Jesus lays some “woe tos” on the towns. It must have been especially painful for Jesus to condemn Capernaum, his dearly beloved home town, for failing to listen to his message. The residents of these towns were not getting it. They did not grasp the message that Jesus was putting forth.
Often, as Catholics, we have not got Jesus’ message. As Sr. Helen Prejean said recently, “We have tamed Jesus. Where is the wild in Jesus?” It was in the Jesus movement for the first three centuries. Then, Instead of converting Constantine, Constantine converted the church. He domesticated Jesus. Tamed him! We have paid the price ever since. Instead of standing over against empires and challenging them based on the real teachings of Jesus, we have got in bed with empire. We have grown prosperous and powerful. We have failed to get the message of Jesus. We have watered down the Good News. Continue reading →

In the last two months, I have been doing a lot of work in our church and community for peace and justice issues. Last month, I taught four sessions on the Nonviolence of Jesus in our church. I presented a day of reflection on Walking with Jesus, Micah, and Gandhi for our vicariate. I am currently teaching four sessions on living nonviolently in the Institute for Continuous Learning at Young Harris College.
Ever since Father John Dear inspired Joan and I to become followers of the nonviolent Jesus and the God of Peace in a retreat at Kirkridge, I have been slowly (too slowly at times) growing in my understanding of the Gospel of Peace. Presently, I have come to understand that nonviolence is a way of life which demands total commitment. It is not a tactic for getting what you want. It is not a technique. It is a WAY OF LIFE. To put it another way, Gandhi’s satyagraha (nonviolence, or better “truth force”) is getting up close and very personal. Gandhi’s entire life was An Experiment in Truth. Continue reading →

I had the opportunity to attend this year’s Pax Christi Florida retreat directed by John and Martina Linnehan. The beginning activity was the cosmic walk. Various versions are available at (http://www.threeeyesofuniverse.org/cosmicwalks/TheCosmicWalk.html). The activity made me intensely aware that the universe flared forth from the Infinite Mystery some 15 billion years ago. Details of the emergence of the universe, such as the fact that oxygen initially caused a mass extinction, cause me to marvel at the Creator behind an intelligent, self-evolving universe. Everything that exists gives praise and glory and honor to the Creator from which it flared forth. Continue reading →

Things have not changed much from the days of the Prophets, Jesus, and now Stephen, the first martyr. The people have “covered up their hearts and ears.” They do not want to hear the voice of the prophet proclaiming the “truth which shall rise up from the earth while justice looks down from heaven” (Psalm 85). Continue reading →

It is not unusual in discussions among sincere Christians for someone to state, “As long as there are human beings there will be war.” Statements like this get the attention of Christian peacemakers.
Conservative Christian evangelicals tend to support the war. They—Islamic terrorists—are numerous and are out to destroy us. We must destroy them over there before they destroy us over here. It’s a holy war, albeit a crusade against the Islamofacists—whatever that means. Sound familiar? Some of these Christians welcome war because it will hasten the rapture. Whatever happened to the God of Peace and his Only Begotten? Continue reading →

In John’s Gospel, Jesus invites his followers to “come and see.” It is an open ended invitation to a fantastic journey—the journey of getting to know Jesus. We celebrate Epiphany. The Wise Men from the East accepted God’s invitation to traverse afar amid great danger to come and see the child in the manger. Having seen the child, they were a changed lot. They could not return the way they had come. They had traveled trough Herod’s culture of death to meet the life-Child. They had to return by a new way. Continue reading →

Let’s put ourselves in the scene in today’s Gospel. John has been out in the desert proclaiming the coming of the God of Peace. He met with stiff opposition from the Roman dominators and Jewish leaders. Now he is in prison. For all he knows he may soon be put to death for his resistance to empire. He is talking to his disciples. One asks, “Is there any hope for us?” “Another says, “What about your cousin, Jesus?” Continue reading →

Skellig Michael
Advent is such a time of hope. Repeatedly the God of Peace promises to be with us, to help us, to sustain us. For some reason, the Advent visions of hope which keep coming to us in the daily readings seem to be more real this year. In our tumultuous world as people involved in the work of peace and justice, we certainly need grounding. We need the assurance of the God of Peace that she will be with us. I will help you. I will quench the thirst of those who are parched. I am with you always. Come, you are burdened ands rest in me. Continue reading →

John Dear has written a set of daily reflection for Pax Christi, The Advent of the God of Peace. If you do not have this guide to the daily scripture readings for Advent, I recommend that you get it.
I never quite thought of it this way before but Advent is the coming of the God of Peace. We proclaim that Jesus is the Prince of Peace. Paul tells us that Christ is our peace. Christ is our peace—the only way to the God of Peace. Continue reading →