"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God."
In order to understand the term "peacemaker," we must understand the term "peace."
"Peace." What do you think of when you hear that word? Here's the wikipedia definition:
Peace (symbol: ☮) is a quality describing a society or a relationship that is operating harmoniously. This is commonly understood as the absence of hostility, or the existence of healthy or newly-healed interpersonal or international relationships, safety in matters of social or economic welfare, the acknowledgment of equality and fairness in political relationships and, in world matters, peacetime; a state of being absent of any war or conflict.
And here is the Catholic definition, which is found in the Catechism in paragraphs 2304 and 2305:
Respect for and development of human life require peace. Peace is not merely the absence of war, and it is not limited to maintaining a balance of powers between adversaries. Peace cannot be attained on earth without safeguarding the goods of persons, free communication among men, respect for the dignity of persons and peoples, and the assiduous practice of fraternity. Peace is "the tranquillity of order." Peace is the work of justice and the effect of charity.Earthly peace is the image and fruit of the peace of Christ, the messianic "Prince of Peace." By the blood of his Cross, "in his own person he killed the hostility," he reconciled men with God and made his Church the sacrament of the unity of the human race and of its union with God. "He is our peace."
Notice: the Catholic definition of peace includes justice. It is called the work of justice. More secular understandings of peace tend to be more preoccupied with the appearance of peace without the work that is sometimes necessary in order to ensure the actual peace that comes only when justice is achieved. Many who say they want peace in this world really just want "peace and quiet."
If we really want to make the kind of peace to which Christ calls us, it will not do merely to avoid "conflict," in fact it somtimes may require that we dive right into conflict, that we speak difficult truths in hostile environments, that we live and behave in ways considered taboo, not for the purpose of offending others or calling attention to ourselves but simply because it is right.
It is not that we seek conflict for its own sake. But in a world marked by sin and injustice, there can be no imitation of Christ, no love of justice or peace, that does not give rise to conflict.
Christ Himself provides the perfect model for this. He came to establish justice and peace. But in another sense He understood that His coming into the world would give rise to conflict and even violence. He said "I came not to bring peace but a sword."
He wasn't claiming to be a warlord. He was making clear that to be a peacemaker is not simply to run from conflict and ignore injustice. It is to stare injustice in the face and say no. It is to stand one's ground and at times patiently endure injury and violence, as He did, for the sake of true justice and true peace. Christ did not run from conflict. Christ drove the money changers out of the temple, called the religious leaders of the time "hypocrites," and called one of His own best friends "Satan." Why? Because that friend wanted Jesus to run from the violence and conflict that comes from standing up for peace.
The key is always to respond to the conflict with charity, as Christ did. "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do," He would say as he endured the unfathomable violence of the crucifixion.To work for peace in such a way, as He did, is to be a brother or sister to Him. Thus it is to share in His identity as a child of God.
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