Peace on Earth!

AT 3 A.M. By James B. Reuter Saturday, December 29, 2007

New Year’s Day, next Tuesday, January 1, 2008 is the 40th anniversary of the World Day of Peace. It was launched in 1968 by Pope Paul VI who foresaw the tidal wave of violence that is threatening to destroy us all.

The present Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, has written a beautiful message for this day: “The Human Family, A Community of Peace.” In this message he says many things which are wise with the wisdom of God:

“The family is a cradle of life and love.”

“The first form of communion between persons is that born of the love of a man and a woman who decide to enter a stable union in order to build together a new family.”

“But the people of the earth, too, are called to build relationships of solidarity and cooperation among themselves, as members of the one human family.”

“In family life we experience all of the fundamental elements of peace: justice, authority, concern for those in need, mutual help, complete acceptance of others, forgiveness, love. The family is the first teacher of peace.”

“Children learn the beauty of peace from the looks and actions of their mothers and fathers, long before they learn it from their words.”

“We do not live alongside one another purely by choice; all of us are progressing along a common path as a community of brothers and sisters, called to form one great family.”

“The home of the human family is the earth, the environment that God the Creator has given us. Respecting the environment does not mean considering material or animal nature more important than man.

Rather, it means not selfishly considering nature to be at the complete disposal of our own interests.”

“It is essential to sense that the earth is our common home.”

“The problems looming on the horizon are complex, and the time is short. There is a need to act in harmony in the stewardship of the earth’s energy resources.”

“ The emerging countries are hungry for energy, but at times they are forced to undersell the energy resources they do possess. Their very political freedom is compromised by forms of protectorate which are clearly humiliating.”

“The human family needs a foundation of shared values, and an economy responding effectively to the common good.”

“Efforts must be made to ensure a prudent use of resources and a just distribution of wealth.”

“For the sake of peace, a common law is needed to protect the weak from oppression by the strong. In many situations the weak must bow not to the demands of justice, but to the naked power of those stronger than themselves.”

“The moral law must be the rule for all human behaviour.”

“Humanity today is unfortunately experiencing great division and sharp conflicts which cast dark shadows on its future. The danger of an increase in the number of countries possessing nuclear weapons causes well-founded apprehension in every responsible person.”

“In difficult times such as these, there must be an effective demilitarization, especially in the area of nuclear arms, a progressive and mutually agreed dismantling of existing nuclear weapons.”

“I invite every man and woman to have a lively sense of belonging to the one human family, and to implore tirelessly from God the great gift of peace.”

The Filipino family was praised very highly by a professor of moral theology, a layman, who taught in Catholic University , in Washington , D.C. , for more than 30 years. During a visit to the Philippines he said: “The Filipino family is so beautiful! You don’t have nursing homes! Here, when a man grows old, he is the decision maker for the whole family. Everyone comes to him to learn from his experience, and his wisdom… When a woman grows old, she is the lola, whom everyone loves. All the children come to her… The Filipino family is so beautiful! Don’t lose it! Don’t lose it!”

And it was Rizal who said to Josephine Bracken, on the day that they were married: “My people are poor… For centuries our only real possessions have been the land…the sea…the sun…the rain… But, having nothing, we discovered that our real treasure was… each other!”

The excerpts I have chosen from the Message of Benedict XVI give you a rough idea of its breadth and depth. It is a very human document on the needs of the time, rooted in the truths of the Gospel. You can get a copy of the complete message at the National Office of Mass Media, 2307 Pedro Gil, Santa Ana , Manila . Or send us your name, address, telefax or e-mail, and we’ll send it to you.

On the first Christmas the angels sang: “Peace on earth!” May that peace come to you, to your family, to the country, and to the world!