December 9, 2007
Extreme Peace Makeover

I was hoping that I didn’t have to write this column. That’s because I was expecting Jesus to come again and if he had, this would have been one less thing to do this week.

But he didn’t return in glory...yet. I suggested last week that the reason for his delay might be because he wants to come back to a world filled with light and we haven’t made enough light yet. So he’s waiting for us to do the deeds of light first.

The same might be said of peace. This week’s readings offer visions of what God’s peaceful kingdom could be like (and will be like) some day. Maybe Jesus delays in coming because the world is not yet peaceful enough for his return. (Did YOU ever stay away from an event because you knew there would be squabbling and discord? Who needs THAT?)
Our world does indeed need an “extreme makeover” when it comes to peace. I’m not just talking about Iraq. What about our own families? What do we need to “make over” at home? Perhaps you’ve seen the extreme makeover show on TV where a family is taken from their home and while they’re gone, a team of professionals -- assisted by volunteers from the community -- make-over the home. The family waits to come home until the job is done. Could it be that Jesus waits to come back until the job is done?

It might be helpful to think about our role in this makeover. Do we see ourselves as the “professional peacemakers” or as the “community volunteers”? Both are good and necessary. The first step is to believe that God has called us to be peacemakers. “Blessed are the peacemakers -- they shall be called children of God,” Jesus tells his disciples. Well, we are already children of God through our baptism so doesn’t that mean we’re chosen to be peacemakers too?

In this Advent journey, let’s look for a real way to bring about peace and understanding this week. Ask the Holy Spirit how.

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