Human history has not documented even 100 consecutive years of peace. It appears that of the last 3,400 years of written history, only 8 % (268 years overall) have been the sum of periods completely free of war or confrontation. We know that many of the geopolitical conflicts are intergenerational cycles that have not been overcome. Others have more recent economic, ideological, sociological (including territorial disputes), and even ethnic and religious roots.
Psychology helps us to understand the main reasons of how the relationship between emotion and reaction operates: a controversy or disagreement that could have been mitigated or slowed down, awakens the most primitive tendencies and instincts in our collective memory, ignites conflictive feelings until we become hostages of their effervescence, inspiring destructive, social and inter-relational interventions when our sense of threatened survival is over-activated. At this point there is no way to count the human and economic losses, and the emotional crises generated. How is it possible that supposedly intelligent human beings, we have failed every previous lesson and we foolishly repeat what it has already been demonstrated that we should avoid? What madness! How much sadism! How much cruelty!
Not even with these profound experiences of human pain have we been able to notice or renounce so much unnecessary and useless pain. The Bible presents us with how Jesus Christ describes a deeper root: the psychology of personal life and spiritual state of every human being. In Luke 6:45, Jesus says: "A good man out of the goodness he treasures in his heart brings forth good, and an evil man out of the evil he brings forth evil; for out of the overflowing of the heart the mouth speaks".
Only the Gospel of Love helps us to interrupt this circuit to block the flow of the growing destructive currents. In Matthew 5, 38 - 48, Jesus offers a plausible solution: "You have heard that it was said: 'An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. But I say to you, 'Do not deal with the one who wrongs you. On the contrary, if one slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other; to him who would sue you to take away your coat, give him your cloak also; to him who asks you to walk a mile, go two miles with him; to him who begs from you, give; and to him who borrows from you, do not refuse. You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor' and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, who makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward will you have? do not the tax collectors also do the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what reward have ye? do not the Gentiles also do the same? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect".
Sometimes we feel very limited when we want to change some external realities instigated or provoked by social or political forces, or simply beyond our control. But let us understand something very important: each human being does have control over his or her own reasoning, feelings, perceptions, reactions and decisions. This is how the external conflict should not be transferred to our inner self until it becomes our personal internal conflict. Let us not allow ourselves to be persuaded by the collective hysterias of fears, hatreds and senses of revenge. These are the ones that drag multitudes and peoples to their great downfalls and processes of self-destruction.
The destructive power of hate
On a personal level I have to understand that my hatred does not destroy my enemy: rather it destroys me. Hatred is an emotional cancer that eats away at the heart and metastasizes in my body and mind. There are even several physical illnesses associated with strong experiences of resentment by triggering high levels of cortisol (the stress hormone) which suppresses the immune system contributing to cardiovascular, digestive, inflammatory, and chronic pain conditions, among other conditions. Hate is also a major player in well-known psychological conditions such as anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, sociopathic personality, etc.
On a spiritual level, hatred is the thief of states of grace and inner peace. My enemies will arm themselves with my hatred to consume me day by day and to deform my integrity and spiritual nature. When I hate and seek revenge I am further empowering my enemies, giving them sovereignty over my feelings and my decisions. And worse, I am giving them the power to rob me of my salvation, for with hatred in my heart no one will enter Heaven, the dwelling place of the God of love.
Perhaps we think that there are human reasons to hate because of injustices, outrages, threats; but we do not have spiritual permissions. Although Psalm 97, 10 says, "Hate evil, you who love the Lord", it is not a feeling directed to another human being, but a decision to abhor and repudiate the evil that so much divides and harms human beings who should love and respect each other.
The beautiful Psalm 23 includes in verse 5 a quote that we often lose sight of: "You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies". What table is that? The table where peace treaties are signed. Because only by walking in peace and unifying ourselves in solidarity, will we be able to find those green pastures, still waters and places of provision that the same psalm offers us.
Peace treaties
Human coexistence and above all Christian brotherhood is sustained by treaties of peace and covenants of mercy between people who eradicate their selfishness and narcissism to recognize that we live not only with others around us but that they dwell in our hearts.
True and authentic love is the one that responds to the proposal of the supreme commandment pronounced by Jesus in Matthew 22:37: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind". Love has been the reason for the survival of humanity, which faces so many threats to its survival. Human beings tend to ally in natural disasters and universal threats. When we live in love we make alliances of peace because we want to preserve the integrity of people and our human relationships with them because we need them in our lives for our physical and psychological survival.
Healthy relationships based on that love will seek to preserve peace by keeping in mind that there is no substitute for respect, consideration, sincere dialogue, mutual support, and the recognition that we are all children of God and heirs of His equal love. The person who is truly converted to Jesus and convinced of His teachings can opt for no other condition of life except peace in the heart and peace around him.
Romans 14:19 tells us to live not only in peace, but to edify one another. In other words, eradicating from our vocabulary and conduct that which hurts us, defames us, dishonors us or makes us feel like emotional orphans because no one cares about us. How different it would be to live edifying each other with words of affection and with demonstrations of mutual trust, sincere understanding and unconditional support!
We build ourselves up when we transmit kindness and mercy. We are edified when we dispose our minds and senses to listen, attend and understand the needs of others.
We are edified when we pause the hustle and bustle of life to console and heal ourselves, as in the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37).
We are edified when we recognize the gifts of others, and instead of being filled with envy and desires of usurpation, we exalt, celebrate and dimension them.
We are edified when we recognize that we are all sinners and no one is in the place or position to cast the first stone at the adulterous woman of John 8, or as in Mark 14, those who entered into moral judgment of the woman of the fine spikenard perfume.
And above all, we build ourselves up when we fulfill the conditions for entering the Kingdom of Heaven, as Matthew 25:34-36 says: "Come, you blessed of my Father; inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, sick and you visited me, in prison and you came to see me".
To edify one another is to promote all that makes us brothers and sisters, that shows solidarity, and that builds bonds of peace among us. 1 Thessalonians 5:11-15 says, "Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as you are already doing. We urge you, brethren, to appreciate the efforts of those who labor among you in caring for you for the Lord's sake and admonishing you. Show them all esteem and love for their work. Keep peace among yourselves. We exhort you, brethren, admonish the undisciplined, encourage the apathetic, support the weak, and be patient with all. See to it that no one repays another evil for evil; always strive to do good to one another and to all".
So rightly did Jesus offer to pour out His Holy Spirit upon us because it will be through His Spirit that we will be able to fulfill His superhuman and sanctifying proposals! Galatians 5:22-23: "the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control".
What should coexistence be like?
1 John 2, 4: He who says he loves God and does not love his brother is a liar. That love must be legitimate and genuine, not feigned or forced. It must be inspired by the ways in which the Bible explains how God loves each one of us.
Philippians 2:2-5: "Give me this great joy, that you may be of one accord and of one mind and love. Do not act out of rivalry or conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Do not close yourselves up in your own interests, but seek the interests of others. Have among yourselves the sentiments proper to Christ Jesus".
2 Timothy 2:24: "One who serves the Lord must not quarrel, but be gentle to all, able to teach, long-suffering."
1 Peter 3:8-9: "Finally, all of you be of the same mind, be in solidarity with one another in suffering, love one another as brothers, have compassionate hearts and be humble. Do not return evil for evil, or insult for insult, but on the contrary, respond with a blessing, for to this you have been called, that you may inherit a blessing."
Ephesians 4:30-32: "Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God with whom he has sealed you for the day of final deliverance. Banish from you bitterness and wrath and anger and insults and all malice. Be kind, understanding, forgiving one another as God forgave you in Christ."
John 17:21-23: "That they all may be one, as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be one in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one, as we are one; I in them, and you in me, that they may be completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them as you have loved me."
How do we calm the anxieties of the mind?
Let us not get carried away by the currents of the world, collective hysterias created by people who do not know how to regulate their emotions and drag the rest of the world into their own little hells. The "firearm" that political and social seducers, destroyers of the world and their societies, have known how to handle best, has been the emotional manipulation of vulnerable beings. We must take control of what wants to control us and dominate what wants to dominate us, to feel and decide to be more spiritual than carnal and slow down the growth of evil in today's world. To reach inner peace is for strong men and women who resist instincts and orient themselves towards the virtuous and supernatural.
As the Padre PioPeace is simplicity of spirit, serenity of mind, tranquility of soul, the bond of love. Peace is order, it is harmony among us all, it is a continuous joy, born of the testimony of a good conscience; it is the holy joy of the heart, in which God reigns. Peace is the way to perfection, indeed in peace is found perfection; and the devil who knows all this, puts all means to snatch peace from us".
Recovering inner strength
We will achieve and maintain peace with the inner dialogue that will regulate our rushed emotions to help us reach acceptance and reconciliation.
We will achieve and preserve peace by reorganizing life in a truer and more realistic order of priorities; protecting interpersonal relationships by establishing healthy and real boundaries that show human respect, fair, reciprocal and loving relationships.
We will achieve and preserve peace by understanding when to keep fighting and searching, and when to give up with tranquility, adaptability, resignation and gratitude.
We will achieve and maintain peace by always being faithful to our values and identity; with the gift of gratitude, with dialogues of reconciliation, and when we live with a clear conscience for fulfilling what is expected of us.
And especially when we live in a personal and paternal relationship with the God of love and mercy, with an unwavering faith and a life of constant prayer.
