Opinion: Star shows us the way to peace

Sydney
6 January 2002

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Opinion: Star shows us the way to peace - in Christ’s way

By Sr Mary Cresp RSJ

How has your Christmas Season been so far? The 12 Days of Christmas’ come to an end today with the first of the manifestation celebrations, the feast of the Epiphany.

Over the next few weeks we will ponder other aspects of the manifestation of Jesus - for example, Jesus revealed as God’s Son in the baptism story.

In other words, the Christmas season unfolds to us the different ways we recognise Jesus as the Messiah - God with us. We are told in the story of the Magi that the wise men followed a star which “stopped over the place where the child was” (Mt 2:9). The star is the Messiah - “A star shall advance from Jacob” (Num. 24:17).

Those from the East - the Gentiles - have followed that star, says Matthew, and, in doing so, have found the Saviour, the one who reveals who God is for us.

But how real is all this? How is God with and for us in a world torn apart by war and tragedy? Over the Christmas season we have sung of peace, joy and good will to all. Is it all a hoax?

Has the coming of the Christ, the Messiah, made any difference to our world?

As Christians we believe that the coming of the Messiah does make sense even in a world rocked by violence and evil. Jesus, I think, gave us a clue: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives, do I give it to you” (Jn 14:27).

When John uses the word ‘world’, he is describing a way of thinking and acting that is in opposition to the way of Jesus. The way the ‘world’ would gain peace is through annihilation of the enemy, through vengeance and force. Jesus presents to us a way of coming to peace that allows God’s goodness to operate. It’s a way that turns the ‘world’s’ theories upside down.

Pope John Paul II reminds us of this as we begin our new year. Christians are to be agents of peace - a peace obtained not in the way of the ‘world’ but in Christ’s way. When people work in this way, both in personal and civic life, the reign of God can happen.

So, he tells us, Christians must work for justice in love if we are to have peace. I wonder what would have happened if the response of the West to September 11 had been a determination to address the root causes of terrorism. Would this have been a more effective way of overcoming the aggressive anger and hatred that have run rampant in our world ever since?

Jesus’s way of justice, the Pope insists, involves forgiveness. We know how unforgiveness operates - revenge, pitilessness, hard-heartedness, spite, cruelty.

Can our world even contemplate the way of forgiveness - reprieve, amnesty, reconciliation, returning good for evil?

Like the Chosen People, we, the Church, are called on to make God’s presence known even in the darkest places. The star shows us a way to peace not of the world’s making. Let us follow it.

Sister Mary Cresp RSJ is executive director of the Australian Conference of Leaders of Religious Institutes. She is also a member of Pax Christi Australia.