Reflection for Sunday 6th July, 2025

14th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Blessed are the Peacemakers (Luke 10:1-12. 17-20)

In today’s Gospel the Lord sent out seventy-two disciples in pairs to prepare the towns he was to visit. His instruction was more about practical example than about talk. Saint Francis advised the brothers to preach at all times, sometimes using words. Actions speak more loudly than words. Saint Paul VI wrote about evangelization: “The first means of evangelization is the witness of an authentically Christian life.

People today listen more willingly to witnesses than to teachers, and if they do listen to teachers, it is because they are witnesses.” What you are thunders so loudly that I cannot hear what you are saying! The seventy-two disciples were instructed to give living witness to charity by their ability to work in pairs, and through mutual sharing and caring. Their belief in God’s care would be shown by trust in providence and in the kindness of people. Their gentleness would prepare the way for reconciliation and peace. On entering a house their first words would be, “Peace to this house.”

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.

Soul peace is the first step

Saint John XXIII, in his ground-breaking Encyclical Letter on peace, Pacem in Terris, outlined three steps towards peace: soul peace, home peace and world peace.
Becoming a maker of peace needs to be rooted in prayer which develops a powerful relationship with God. “Be still and know that I am God.” Jesus told the disciples to tell people that the kingdom of God is very near to you. Growth in prayer develops more awareness of the nearness of God, more trust in the power of God and more desire to share the love of God with others.

Home peace is the second step

A good place to start making peace is at home. The advice that Jesus gave his missionaries on entering a house was to wish peace to that family. “Peace to this house.”
What destroys peace at home? Excessive drinking, late hours, financial worries, insensitivity, bickering, arguments, lack of appreciation, no time for communication, no prayer. Being a slave to social media is now recognised as seriously harmful to communication in the family. Saint Paul gave very good advice, “Never let the sun go down on your anger.” Family celebrations can be very helpful in bonding families. “Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God.” Being a maker of peace will not be easy because people might be a bit odd, uncooperative, harbouring hurts from the past, demanding, locked up in themselves, beaten down by life or simply disinterested.

Dealing with conflict

How does one deal with conflict? There is a time to confront with courtesy and sensitivity but other times it is better to walk away because any confrontation will cause more divisions. Nobody wins an argument but each side is more entrenched in their position. When Jesus and the apostles met with hostility in Samaria, James and John wanted to call down fire from heaven, but Jesus advised them to go away and shake off the very dust of the place. While there is a time to walk away there are other times when an approach can be made to resolve a conflict. As a military man once told me, every war ends at a table. Pope Francis called it an art. “We need to be artisans of peace, for building peace is a craft that demands serenity, creativity, sensitivity and skill.” Invite the Holy Spirit to kindle the fire of love in both parties. The advice of Jesus is to remind people that “The kingdom of God is very near to you.”

Prayer inspired by Saint Francis

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred let me sow your love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love; for it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and is in dying that we are born to eternal life.