World Peace? Without personal peace it is not possible!

Of course some people accept the idea that without an attitude of peaceful reflections towards other people no one can possibly expect to understand what peace really means. That filters down to the knowledge of only a few who can relate to the theme of Christ’s Incarnation which reveals the meaning of God’s definition of peace by expiating our crucifixion without the Passion of Christ. That leaves a multitude of believers that are like the citizens in Noah’s time.

Take the probability of what the end result of a human existence would look like if God had decided to do to us what occurred to the people of Noah’s day. “When the Lord saw how great was man’s wickedness on earth, and how no desire that his heart conceived was ever anything but evil, he regretted that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was grieved.” So the Lord said, “I will wipe out from the earth the men whom I have created, and not only the men, but also the beasts and the creeping things and the birds of the air, for I am sorry that I made them.” (Gn 6: 5 - 7).

What type of peace are most people on this planet, earth, expecting to find? Watch the news each day and view the disruptions of most citizens running to hide from another attack of missiles threatening their lives and their children's as well. Or look at the many New Years people worshipping the opportunity to find peace at last, while too many of them are at odds with their neighbors because of unimportant issues that place them against each other. Is that a sign of personal peace?

Without relating the personal individuals who have nothing but self-interests to the exclusion of other nations, political parties, and so much turning away from Almighty God, they are the ones who might say pray for world peace. To whom are they directing their prayers?

We seem to be living in a moment where a material god to so many is what fills their pockets with gold, satisfies their carnal desires without regret, and keeps the God of heaven away from their children by apostasy. Peace is as far away from their own lives as the east is from the west. Never will they meet and neither will their hearts seek a peace that Christ instituted by his Incarnation; He Sacrificed himself for sins against their neighbors and themselves as well.

This is called personal forgiveness and love; that is what peace is made of.

Could it become a one-way street for the many who no longer care for their neighbors and even their own flesh and blood? Time will tell and there are many who do not have the luxury of time to find Christ in their hearts and reach out to those who are starving for real love that seems to have floated away.

Ralph B. Hathaway