Christ’s message of peace is, “Love those who hate you, do good to those who persecute you” (Cf. Mt 5:43-48). “If you do good to those who do good to you, what merit is there in that? So do the Gentiles. But I say to you, do good also to those who do evil to you” (Cf. Lk 6:27-36).
I know that for many in today’s society this word is the voice of someone crying in the wilderness, but to you who love peace, who understand with me that this peace must ultimately develop from the attitude of the many who make up the community of nations, may I make this word of Christ heard as an indication — certainly radical, even difficult to carry out, but nevertheless striking — of the direction in which our work for peace must go.
I repeat, our peacemaking efforts must be based on social reform. In society, the sound principles of love and forgiveness must once again blossom and be practiced universally.
Blessed Titus Brandsma
Vrede en vredelievendheid, no. 8 (excerpt)
Speech in the Mountain Church of St. Nicholas, Deventer, Netherlands
11 November 1931
A Spanish translation of Vrede en vredelievendheid is available on the website of the Titus Brandsma Institute Nijmegen
He is one of my favourites.
Liked and shared with our Parish group: 180 people.
Thank you!