10TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

Blessed are the peacemakers. 

Have you ever noticed that being around anxious people can make you anxious, too? Modern psychiatrists have observed how highly contagious anxiety is. They’ve discovered that our brains have mirror neurons that not only pick up but also reflect back to us the strong emotional signals of the people around us. If that’s the case, just think what being around a peaceful person could do for you!

In a certain sense, this Beatitude teaches us that each one of us can be a peacemaker. Yes, we do that by working to end conflicts. But there’s another way we can bring peace into our world. By being at peace and maintaining our peace, we can actually help the people around us find peace as well.

The Hebrew word that’s often used in the Bible for peace, shalom, conveys a sense of safety, soundness, health, perfection, or completion. And ultimately, Jesus, the “Prince of Peace,” is the only One who can bring us this kind of peace.

So how can you live as a peacemaker? First and foremost, by spending time with Jesus. With every prayer time, with every moment spent with the word of God or in Adoration or at Mass, the peace of Jesus can make deeper inroads into your life. You develop attitudes of trust and surrender to the Lord, and those attitudes can calm your fears and ease your worries.

Second, you can ask the Holy Spirit to lead you as you go through your day. He can help you avoid reacting in kind when someone you are with is agitated. He can guide your words and thoughts when you find yourself in a stressful situation. He can help you listen patiently when another person needs to vent their frustrations or let off steam. Through the presence of the Spirit, you can bring Jesus with you, and with him, peace.

Just think, you can be a peacemaker! Your attitude is contagious, and you can be a force for good for everyone around you.

“Lord, give me your peace—the peace that passes all understanding—so that I can bring that peace to others.”

1 Kings 17:1-6
Psalm 121:1-8
Matthew 5:1-12