Blessed are the Peacemakers

By Bp. Joseph (Ancient Church of the West)

In every Divine Liturgy, Orthodox Christians pray, “For the peace of the whole world, for the stability of the holy churches of God, and for the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord.”

What does this mean? 

Is it merely a nice-sounding platitude that we say to absolve ourselves of wrong doing, while inwardly desiring power through conflict and the suffering of others? Or, is it something that we are really called to create, through personal suffering, sacrifice, and refusal to cooperate with evil authorities? 

When one “Orthodox” brother attacks another brother of the same faith, calling for peace and moving for war, what are we to think about that attacker’s faith? Is it not a “sounding brass or a loud clanging cymbal”? All the litanies for peace ever chanted will not expunge the responsibility of one brother taking up arms against another, when he strikes his brother down and acts like the evil Cain to his righteous brother Abel! 

Our Lord said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.”