“Dear children! Also today, in my arms I am bringing my Son Jesus to you, for Him to give you His peace. Pray, little children, and witness so that in every heart, not human but God's peace may prevail, which no one can destroy. It is that peace in the heart which God gives to those whom He loves. By your baptism you are all, in a special way called and loved, therefore witness and pray that you may be my extended hands to this world which yearns for God and peace. Thank you for having responded to my call.”
The most beautiful picture of a mother is the picture with a child in her arms. The most beautiful Son is in the arms of the most beautiful Mother. This holy Mother and the Queen of Peace makes Bethlehem present again today, just as She showed it once to those simple shepherds, to those who hurried up where the angels had sent them with the words: “You will find Mother and the Child in her arms.” It is that mother who welcomed them with the greatest smile and so opened the heart of all that they may accept peace, joy and all necessary gifts that He, the Son and our Saviour, gives.
The shepherds enjoyed their fill of peace and angelic songs that turned into great joy in their hearts. And they returned to their flocks and continued testifying by telling about the miraculous experiences in the meeting with the Mother and the new-born Son.
Today She brings us the same Son in the same arms, with the same divine gift of peace. We need this gift more than anything. It becomes manifest in those who have met, got to know and accepted Jesus as their God. We need peace and He wants and can give it to us. The Mother is the witness and guarantee of that grace. She knows that without it we are doomed, lost. She knows that without peace we are constantly in conflict with our own selves, with our own families, with our neighbours and finally with God Himself. She, full of grace, does not take credit for that grace, but rather points to Her Son – He gives you His peace.
It takes more than mere human peace for such a sublime calling and mission in the world that a man as a Christian has. To be a peace-bringer, a peacemaker among people is a God’s work through man. Jesus calls peacemakers sons of God. International peace institutions, organisations, actions and projects, although precious and praiseworthy, are only a human intervention and attempt. Often only one undertaking of a man is emphasized, and people give him a peace prize. People foster peace, support peace, educate for peace. War and violence are the greatest injustice to an individual, to a nation and to a generation.
The divine peace includes all that man can not achieve without God. Man’s project without God is very much like the Tower of Babel. All that man invests falls in the end, leaving only bitterness. In order to succeed, man must pray. In order to truly build, man has to pray. A praying man is a man who counts on God, accepts His will and help. He constantly improves and harmonizes his life, his creativity with God’s will. It is here that peace begins which no one can destroy. It comes from God and binds us up with God. It inspires us to divine deeds such as pardon to enemies and prayer for one’s persecutors. It leads and inspires us to witness for Jesus and His Gospel, to witness the greatest love, to lay down one’s life for God and brother men out of faith. Martyrs, i.e. witnesses, are first-class peacemakers.
By his baptism every Christian has grown into divine life and God’s special love. Baptism obliges us to an essentially new and different life than this world. That is why Jesus calls us Christians leaven, which has the task to permeate – to leaven all the dough. He calls us light, which is put on a lampstand to give light to all. He calls us salt of the earth that must not become tasteless, lose its saltiness, otherwise it is thrown out and trampled under foot by men.
One can lose the gifts received from the Lord; that is why the Teacher calls us to pray and to be on the alert, to be responsible for all the talents that the Lord will ask from us when He comes.
To be the extended arms of Our Lady today in this world and time is a special gift and favour. These arms, like those of the Virgin, should bear gifts, especially the greatest gift – the Lord. This world, like an arid desert, yearns for, thirsts for peace and God. There is nobody and nothing that could supplement these gifts, essential to all and to every heart: God and Peace – Peace and God.
In this Christmastide, when peace was given through Jesus to every man, our mission and the greatest apostolate is to bring men to Jesus.
In this New Year, let us start with new enthusiasm and new zeal the evangelisation of our families, our youth and the sick.
This month we are going to pray:
1. For the peace in every heart and every family. For a blessed and full of peace New Year 2012.
2. For all pilgrims who bring their crosses, conflicts and disputes, hatred and envy to Međugorje, that they may find the necessary peace through the intercession of the Queen of Peace.
3. For our bishops, the Commission, priests and heralds that they may feel and find so wished-for and special peace in Međugorje; for the visionaries and their mission of peace.
