Elusive Peace

News from Iraq these days is very upsetting...the apparent unraveling of a long and costly attempt to bring lasting peace to that nation.  Little less in the headlines,  but equally upsetting is the on-going situation with tea workers in Bangladesh, where rights are trampled upon daily.  Our brothers work with the Oblates of Mary Immaculate in trying to bring peace between the oppressors and the oppressed. Jesus speaks of reconciliation as necessary before bringing our gifts to the altar.  (Matt 5: 23-24 )
If we took his words seriously, we'd see that peace begins with Jesus, and not with us.  The peace that the world seeks, in the same way, does not come as the result of war or even negotiations, but from a change of heart, an conversion centered around Jesus.  He is the one who fills the heart with love, forgiveness and the resulting peace  Let our prayer today be for a desire to allow Jesus into our hearts and the hearts of those at war so that the peace that always seems to elude us, might finally begin.
Bro. Rene
Note...I will be at Camp Champagnat till Saturday...Not sure about internet access...so there may not be another slice until Sunday.