In Truth, Peace
Message of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI for the celebration of the
World Day of Peace January 1, 2006, Libreria Editrice Vaticana, Vatican
City.
Pope Benedict XVI |
In this traditional Message for the World Day of Peace at the
beginning of the New Year, I offer cordial greetings and good wishes to
men and women everywhere, especially those who are suffering as a result
of violence and armed conflicts. My greetings is one filled with hope
for a more serene world, a world in which more and more individuals and
communities are committed to the paths of justice and peace.
Before all else, I wish to express my heartfelt gratitude to my
predecessors, the great Popes Paul VI and John Paul II, who were astute
promoters of peace. Guided by the spirit of the Beatitudes, they
discerned in the many historical events which marked their respective
Pontificates the providential intervention of God, who never ceases to
be concerned for the future of the human race.
As tireless heralds of the Gospel, they constantly invited everyone
to make God the starting-point of their efforts on behalf of concord and
peace throughout the world. This, my first message for the World Day of
Peace, is meant to follow in the path of their noble teaching; with it,
I wish to reiterate the steadfast resolve of the Holy See to continue
serving the cause of peace.
The very name Benedict, which I chose on the day of my election to
the Chair of Peter, is a sign of my personal commitment to peace. In
taking this name, I wanted to evoke both the Patron Saint of Europe, who
inspired a civilisation of peace on the whole continent, and Pope
Benedict XV, who condemned the First World War as a useless slaughter
and worked for a universal acknowledgement of the lofty demands of
peace.
The theme chosen for this year's reflection - In truth, peace -
expresses the conviction that wherever and whenever men and women are
enlightened by the splendour of truth, they naturally set out on the
path of peace.
The Pastoral Constitution Gaudium et Spes, promulgated forty years
ago at the conclusion of the Second Vatican Council, stated that mankind
will not succeed in "building a truly more human world for everyone,
everywhere on earth, unless all people are renewed in spirit and
converted to the truth of peace".
But what do those words, "the truth of peace", really mean? To
respond adequately to this question, we must realise that peace cannot
be reduced to the simple absence of armed conflict, but needs to be
understood as "the fruit of an order which has been planted in human
society by its divine founder", an order "which must be brought about by
humanity in its thirst for ever more perfect justice".
As the result of an order planned and willed by the love of God,
peace has an intrinsic and invincible truth of its own, and corresponds
"to an irrepressible yearning and hope dwelling within us."
Seen in this way, peace appears as a heavenly gift and a divine grace
which demands at every level the exercise of the highest responsibility;
that of conforming human history - in truth, justice, freedom and love -
to the divine order.
Whenever there is a loss of fidelity to the transcendent order, and a
loss of respect for the "grammar" of dialogue which is the universal
moral law written on human hearts, whenever the integral development of
the person and the protection of his fundamental rights are hindered or
denied, whenever countless people are forced to endure intolerable
injustices and inequalities, how can we hope that the good of peace will
be realised? The essential elements which make up the truth of that good
are missing.
Saint Augustine described peace as tranquillitas ordinis, the
tranquility of order. By this, he meant a situation which ultimately
enables the truth about man to be fully respected and realised.
Who and what, then, can prevent the coming of peace? Sacred
Scripture, in its very first book, Genesis, points to the lie told at
the very beginning of history by the animal with a forked tongue, whom
the Evangelist John calls "the father of lies" (Jn 8:44). Lying is also
one of the sins spoken of in the final chapter of the last book of the
Bible, Revelation, which bars liars from the heavenly Jerusalem:
"outside are... all who love falsehood" (22:15).
Lying is linked to the tragedy of sin and its perverse consequences,
which have had, and continue to have, devastating effects on the lives
of individuals and nations. We need but think of the events of the past
century, when aberrant ideological and political systems wilfully
twisted the truth and brought about the exploitation and murder of an
appalling number of men and women, wiping out entire families and
communities.
After experiences like these, how can we fail to be seriously
concerned about lies in our own time, lies which are the framework for
menacing scenarios of death in many parts of the world. Any authentic
search for peace must begin with the realisation that the problem of
truth and untruth is the concern of every man and woman; it is decisive
for the peaceful future of our planet.
Peace is an irrepressible yearning present in the heart of each
person, regardless of his or her particular cultural identity.
Consequently, everyone should feel committed to service of this great
good, and should strive to prevent any form of untruth from poisoning
relationships. All people are members of one and the same family.
An extreme exaltation of differences clashes with this fundamental
truth. We need to regain an awareness that we share a common destiny
which is ultimately transcendent, so as to maximise our historical and
cultural differences, not in opposition to, but in cooperation with,
people belonging to other cultures. These simple truths are what make
peace possible; they are easily understood whenever we listen to our own
hearts with pure intentions.
Peace thus comes to be seen in a new light: not as the mere absence
of war, but as a harmonious coexistence of individual citizens within a
society governed by justice, one in which the good is also achieved, to
the extent possible, for each of them. The truth of peace calls upon
everyone to cultivate productive and sincere relationships; it
encourages them to seek out and to follow the paths of forgiveness and
reconciliation, to be transparent in their dealings with others, and to
be faithful to their word.
In a particular way, the followers of Christ, recognising the
insidious presence of evil and the need for that liberation brought by
the divine Master, look to him with confidence, in the knowledge that
"he committed no sin; no guile was found on his lips" (I Pet 2:22; cf.
Is 53:9).
Jesus defined himself as the Truth in person, and, in addressing the
seer of the Book of Revelation, he states his complete aversion to
"every one who loves and practices falsehood" (Rev 22:15). He has
disclosed the full truth about humanity and about human history. The
power of his grace makes it possible to live "in" and "by" truth, since
he alone is completely true and faithful. Jesus is the truth which gives
us peace.
The truth of peace must also let its beneficial light shine even amid
the tragedy of war. "The Fathers of the Second Vatican Ecumenical
Council, in the Pastoral Constitution Gaudium et Spes, pointed out that
"not everything automatically becomes permissible between hostile
parties once war has regrettably commenced".
As a means of limiting the devastating consequences of war as much as
possible, especially for civilians, the international community has
created an international humanitarian law. In a variety of situations
and in different settings, the Holy See has expressed its support for
this humanitarian law, and has called for it to be respected and
promptly implemented, out of the conviction that the truth of peace
exists even in the midst of war.
International humanitarian law ought to be considered as one of the
finest and most effective expressions of the intrinsic demands of the
truth of peace. Precisely for this reason, respect for that law must be
considered binding on all peoples. Its value must be appreciated and its
correct application ensured; it must also be brought up to date by
precise norms applicable to the changing scenarios of today's armed
conflicts and the use of ever newer and more sophisticated weapons.
Here I wish to express gratitude to the international organisations
and to all those who are daily engaged in the application of
international humanitarian law. Nor can I fail to mention the many
soldiers engaged in the delicate work of resolving conflicts and
restoring the necessary conditions for peace.
I wish to remind them of the words of the Second Vatican Council:
"All those who enter the military in service to their country should
look upon themselves as guardians of the security and freedom of their
fellow-countrymen, and, in carrying out this duty properly, they too
contribute to the establishment of peace".
On this demanding front the Catholic Church's military ordinariates
carry out their pastoral activity: I encourage both the military
Ordinaries and military Chaplains to be, in every situation and context,
faithful heralds of the truth of peace.
Nowadays, the truth of peace continues to be dramatically compromised
and rejected by terrorism, whose criminal threats and attacks leave the
world in a state of fear and insecurity. My predecessors Paul VI and
John Paul II frequently pointed out the awful responsibility borne by
terrorists, while at the same time condemning their senseless and deadly
strategies.
These are often the fruit of a tragic and disturbing nihilism which
Pope John Paul II described in these words: "Those who kill by acts of
terrorism actually despair of humanity, of life, of the future. In their
view, everything is to be hated and destroyed". Not only nihilism, but
also religious fanaticism, today often labelled fundamentalism, can
Inspire and encourage terrorist thinking and activity. From the
beginning, John Paul II was aware of the explosive danger represented by
fanatical fundamentalism, and he condemned it unsparingly, while warning
against attempts to impose, rather than to propose for others freely to
accept, one's own convictions about the truth.
As he wrote: ''To try to impose on others by violent means what we
consider to be the truth is an offence against the dignity of the human
being, and ultimately an offence against God in whose image he is made".
Looked at closely, nihilism and the fundamentalism of which we are
speaking share an erroneous relationship to truth: the nihilist denies
the very existence of truth, while the fundamentalist claims to be able
to impose it by force. Despite their different origins and cultural
backgrounds, both show a dangerous contempt for human beings and human
life, and ultimately for God himself.
Indeed, this shared tragic outcome results from a distortion of the
full truth about God: nihilism denies God's existence and his provident
presence in history, while fanatical fundamentalism disfigures his
loving and merciful countenance, replacing him with idols made in its
own image.
In analyzing the causes of the contemporary phenomenon of terrorism,
consideration should be given, not only to its political and social
causes, but also to its deeper cultural, religious and ideological
motivations.
In view of the risks which humanity is facing in our time, all
Catholics in every part of the world have a duty to proclaim and embody
ever more fully the "Gospel of Peace", and to show that acknowledgment
of the full truth of God is the first, indispensable condition for
consolidating the truth of peace.
God is Love which saves, a loving Father who wants to see his
children look upon one another as brothers and sisters, working
responsibly to place their various talents at the service of the common
good of the human family.
God is the unfailing source of the hope which gives meaning to
personal and community life. God, and God alone, brings to fulfilment
every work of good and of peace. History has amply demonstrated that
declaring war on God in order to eradicate him from human hearts only
leads a fearful and impoverished humanity towards decisions which are
ultimately futile.
This realization must impel believers in Christ to become convincing
witnesses of the God who is inseparably truth and love, placing
themselves at the service of peace in broad cooperation with other
Christians, the followers of other religions and with all men and women
of good will.
Looking at the present World situation, we can note with satisfaction
certain signs of hope in the work of building peace. I think for
example, of the decrease in the number of armed conflicts.
Here we are speaking of a few, very tentative steps forward along the
path of peace, yet ones which even now are able to hold out a future of
greater serenity, particularly for the suffering people of Palestine,
the land of Jesus, and for those living in some areas of Africa and
Asia, who have waited for years for the positive conclusion of the
ongoing processes of pacification and reconciliation.
These are reassuring signs which need to be confirmed and
consolidated by tireless cooperation and activity, above all on the part
of the international community and its agencies charged with preventing
conflicts and providing a peaceful solution to those in course.
All this must not, however, lead to naive optimism. It must not be
forgotten that, tragically, violent fratricidal conflicts and
devastating wars still continue to sow tears and death in vast parts of
the World. Situation exist where conflict, hidden like flame beneath
ashes, can flare up an anew and cause immense destruction.
Those authorities who, rather that making every effort to promote
peace, incite their citizens to hostility towards other nations, bear a
heavy burden of responsibility: in region particularly at risk, they
jeopardize the delicate balance achieved at the cost of patient
negotiations and thus help make the future of humanity more uncertain
and ominous.
What can be said too, about those governments which count on nuclear
arms as a means of ensuring the security of their countries? Along with
countless persons of good will, one can state that this point of view is
not only baneful but also completely fallacious.
In a nuclear war there would be no victors, only victims. The truth
of peace requires that all - whether those governments which openly or
secretly possess nuclear arms, or those planning to acquire them - agree
to change their course by clear and firm decisions, and strive for a
progressive and concerted nuclear disarmament. The resources which would
be saved could then be employed in projects of development capable of
benefiting all their people, especially the poor.
In this regard, one can only note with dismay the evidence of a
continuing growth in military expenditure and the flourishing arms
trade, while the political and juridic process established by the
international community for promoting disarmament is bogged down in
general indifference.
How can there ever be a future of peace when investments are still
made in the production of arms and in research aimed at developing new
ones? It can only be hoped that the international community will find
the wisdom and courage to take up once more, jointly and with renewed
conviction, the process of disarmament, and thus concretely ensure the
right to peace enjoyed by every individual and every people.
By their commitment to safeguarding the good of peace, the various
agencies of the international community will regain the authority needed
to make their initiatives credible and effective.
The first to benefit from a decisive choice for disarmament will be
the poor countries, which rightly demand, after having heard so many
promises, the concrete implementation of their right to development.
That right was solemnly reaffirmed in the recent General Assembly of the
United Nations Organization, which this year celebrated the sixtieth
anniversary of its foundation.
The Catholic Church, while confirming her confidence in this
international body, calls for the institutional and operative renewal
which would enable it to respond to the changed needs of the present
time, characterized by the vast phenomenon of globalization.
The United Nations Organization must become a more efficient
instrument for promoting the values of justice, solidarity and peace in
the world. For her part, the Church, in fidelity to the mission she has
received from her founder, is committed to proclaiming everywhere "the
Gospel of peace".
In the firm conviction that she offers and indispensable service to
all those who strive to promote peace, she reminds everyone that, if
peace is to be authentic and lasting, it must be built on the bedrock of
the truth about God and the truth about man.
This truth alone can create a sensitivity to justice and openness to
love and solidarity, while encouraging everyone to work for a truly free
and harmonious human family. The foundations of authentic peace rest on
the truth about God and man.
At the conclusion of this Message, I would like to address a
particular word to all believers in Christ, inviting them once again to
be attentive and generous disciples of the Lord.
When we hear the Gospel, dear brothers and sisters, we learn to build
peace on the truth of a daily life inspired by the commandment of love.
Every community should undertake an extensive process of education and
witness aimed at making everyone more aware of the need for a fuller
appreciation of the truth of peace.
At the same time I ask for an increase of prayers, since peace is
above all a gift of God, a gift to be implored incessantly. By God's
help, our proclamation and witness to the truth of peace will be all the
more convincing and illuminating. With confidence and filial abandonment
let us lift up our eyes to Mary, Mother of the Price of Peace.
At the beginning of this New Year, let us ask her to help all God's
People, wherever they may be, to work for peace and to be guided by the
light of the truth that sets man free (cf.jn 8:32). Through Mary's
intercession, may all mankind grow in esteem for this fundamental good
and strive to make it ever more present in our world, and, in this way,
to offer a safer and more serene future to generations yet to come. |