Peace can only be achieved if we live according to Christian principles. The Church tells us that unity is only possible if we follow the supreme model of unity which is one God in three persons. Peace cannot be achieved through threats of war or international peace treaties alone. 

“The Christian message offers a universal vision of the life of men and peoples on earth that makes us realise the unity of the human family. This unity is not to be built on the force of arms, terror or abuse of power; rather, it is the result of that ‘supreme model of unity, which is a reflection of the intimate life of God, one God in three Persons, ... what we Christians mean by the word ‘communion'’; it is an achievement of the moral and cultural force of freedom.” 

Freedom is highlighted as key to peace building efforts. In response to the crisis in Sudan in 2004 Sudanese bishops said “freedom will build peace and make it thrive if, in the choice of the means to that end, the people act according to reason and assume responsibility for their own actions.

Therefore one must free oneself from hatred, tribalism, revengeful attitudes and discrimination of any kind and deepen his/her Christian conviction to respect others and demand their respect.”

“The Christian message has been decisive for making humanity understand that peoples tend to unite not only because of various forms of organisation, politics, economic plans or in the name of an abstract ideological internationalism, but because they freely seek to cooperate, aware that they are living members of the whole human family”.

Love is the essential ingredient here. Love builds peace if people feel the needs of others as their own, and share what they have with others, especially the values of mind and spirit which they possess, and bestow forgiveness and reconciliation to everyone.

“The world community must be presented, over and over again and with ever increasing clarity, as the concrete figure of the unity willed by the Creator. The unity of the human family has always existed, because its members are human beings all equal by virtue of their natural dignity.

Hence, there will always exist the objective need to promote, in sufficient measure, the universal common good, which is the common good of the entire human family”. Justice is essential to pursuing the common good. It will build peace if in practice everyone respects the rights of others and actually fulfils his/her duties towards them.

We need to honour the social teaching of the Church and civic duties and rights of all. Justice must stimulate everyone to work with full and generous dedication to the good and welfare of all.

Next week we will look at the fundamental rules of the international community.

Persons interested in purchasing the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, can contact the Justice Desk, Archbishop’s House – 622-6680. Also on sale at the Justice Desk are the Take a Bite Social Justice Programme on DVD and Responses to 101 Questions on Catholic Social Teaching.