FAUSTO GOMEZ OP
The World Day for Peace was founded and inaugurated by St. Paul VI. In the first message (Jan 1, 1968) entitled The Observance of a Day of Peace, Pope Montini writes: “We address Ourselves to all men of good will to exhort them to celebrate ‘The Day of Peace’, throughout the world, on the first day of the year…We think that this proposal interprets the aspirations of peoples, of their governments, of international organisms which strive to preserve Peace in the world, of those religious institutions so interested in the promotion of Peace, of cultural, political and social movements which make Peace their ideal; of youth, whose perspicacity regarding the new paths of civilization, dutifully oriented toward its peaceful developments is more lively; of wise men who see how much, today, Peace is both necessary and threatened.”
The title of the Message for the 52nd World Day of Peace is Good Politics Is at the Service of Peace (January 1, 2019). Pope Francis opens his 2019 Peace Message by greeting all: “Peace be to this house” – to all individuals, peoples and the whole humanity (cf Lk 10:5-6). The five-page message is subdivided into the following subtitles: the challenge of good politics; charity and human virtues as the basis of a politics of service; political vices; good politics promotes the participation of the young; no to war and the strategy of fear, and a great project of peace.
After the Sacred Scriptures and Tradition, the sources of the 2019 Peace Message are the usual ones: the principles and practice (orthodoxy and orthopraxis) from the social doctrine of the Church. Pope Francis quotes three seminal thoughts from three basic magisterial documents: St John XXIII Pacem in Terris; St Paul VI Octogesima Adveniens, and Benedict XVI Caritas in Veritate.
Through seven dense numbers, Pope Francis points out the presence of good and bad politics in our world, reflects on the virtues and vices of politics, and calls all to action to build a just, peaceful and fraternal world with the invaluable aid of good politics serving world peace.
LIGHTS AND SHADOWS OF POLITICS – There is “a climate of mistrust” in human relations, a mistrust grounded on fear of others, of strangers, and anxiety over personal security. In our world, there is the practice of good politics, or politics of service, by leaders who defend and promote human dignity and the equal rights of all, including in particular children, migrants, refugees, and the poor.
Besides good politics, there is also the practice of bad politics that leads to injustice, oppression, marginalization and even destruction. Bad politics may often be a means of corruption, xenophobia, racism, contempt for the exiled, insensibility and exploitation of all creation. Moreover, there are today certain forms of nationalism that obstruct fraternity towards a global world. The Argentine Pope mentions the immoral proliferation of arms (no. 3) and highlights the terrible influence of wars on children: “One out of every six children over the world is affected by the violence of war or its effects.”
REFLECTION – Politics generally refers to activities connected with the governance of a country, and with regional and international political relations between and among nations. Pope Francis says that politics is “an essential means to build up communities and countries.” Good politics “respects and promotes fundamental human rights,” which are authentic expressions of human dignity. Moreover, and according to basic philosophical and theological ethics, good politics underlines not only human rights but equally corresponding duties: “rights and duties are co-relative” – to one’s rights corresponds the duty of all others to respect them and defend them (St John XXIII).
Virtues, or good operative habits, incline us to do good in different specific fields of action. The social doctrine of the Church speaks of five columns or values which build its social teaching: freedom, truth, justice, love, and life. In his 2019 Peace Message, Pope Francis highly recommends the acquisition and practice of the virtues of justice, equality, mutual respect, sincerity, honesty and fidelity. Among all the virtues stands out love or charity, which strengthens all virtues and disposes best to the practice of a politics of service. One remembers the words of St. John Paul II: “When good overcomes evil, love prevails, and where love prevails, there peace prevails.” Authentic love – shown in a particular and perfect way in the Beatitudes of the Politician – includes necessarily and goes beyond justice. One remembers the words of St Thomas Aquinas: “Justice without love is cruelty, and love without justice is stupidity.” Pope Francis stresses that “fraternity is the virtue the world needs most,” and that it nurtures unity among peoples and nations, and feeds the universal human longing for global peace. Good politics fosters the talents of all, in particular the talents and aspirations of the young. (Commenting on Jesus’ “new commandment”: “Love one another as I have loved you” (Jn 13:34), Fray Luis de Granada writes: “If this commandment would be carried out in the world, men would live in paradise.”)
There is also unfortunately bad politics, a kind of politics that instead of serving peace serves personal or group or exclusively national interests, and corruption, injustice and immorality. While good, virtuous use of power is good politics, sinful abuse of power and authority is bad, corrupted politics. While good politics serves all and is grounded upon the equality of all in dignity and rights, bad politics excludes the different, migrants, and the poor. It is bad politics that leads to “fratricidal wars.”
Politics is at the service of peace, which St. Augustine defines as “tranquility of order.” “Peace,” Pope Francis states, “can never be reduced to a balance between power and fear.” In this context, “the escalation of intimidation and the uncontrolled proliferation of arms” is contrary to true peace – and morality. Peace is grounded upon respect of all, and respect for the law and for the common good. It is, moreover based on respect for the environment – our common home –, and for the richness of the moral tradition inherited from past generations.
RESPONSE – Peace, Pope Francis affirms, is like hope (the surprising hope of Charles Peguy), like a “delicate flower struggling to bloom on the stony ground of violence.” All human beings are called to water and nurture hopeful peace: tomorrow will be better for all if we start today working as peacemakers, artisans of peace, and its servants (cf Mk 9:35). Politicians, in particular, serve the common good, justice, peace and the integrity of creation. Thus, they may contribute significantly to building up a worthy and just future for all.
We all are citizens of a country and of the world. Ethical politics obliges each individual to work, at one and the same time, for the good of the city, the nation and all the whole humankind (St. Paul VI). The goal of history and the human family is building the universal city of God. Working for the common good together and inspired and sustained by fraternal love, citizens contribute their share to building up the expected global city of God (Benedict XVI).
To become authentic artisans of peace, citizens and builders of the future and messengers and witnesses of harmonious personal and social life, we need conversion of heart and soul, interior and communal conversion. Integral conversion for peace comprises – Pope Francis says – three inseparable aspects. First, to be at peace with oneself – a peace that rejects inflexibility, anger and impatience and is accompanied by “a bit sweetness toward oneself and others” (St Francis de Sales). Second, to be at peace with others – with family members, friends, strangers, the poor and the suffering-, and be able to encounter them and listen to them. And third, to be at peace with all creation and thus rediscover the grandeur of God’s gift. In this context, one recalls the words of the Venerable Fulton Sheen: “Moral garbage is the cause of ecological garbage.”
Social ethics underlines that the most essential aspect of integral peace is interior peace – peace with oneself. One remembers the words of St. Seraphim: “Acquire inner peace and thousands around you will find liberation,” that is, personal and social peace.
Peace today is reality and hope. Each one of us can do something, at least a little – lighting a candle for peace, contributing a stone to the building of a peaceful home for the whole humanity. In his 2019 Peace Message, Pope Francis invites us to do that something, that little: “Everyone can contribute his or her stone to help build the common home.”
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