(From Just Peace Sunday, September 14, 2025)
This morning, I have the privilege of speaking to you all on the topic of peace and what I think
are vital factors of not only creating peace, but maintaining it and abiding by those principles in
our daily lives, especially in a time of high tensions and turmoil — not only in our country, but
across the globe as well.
When we think about peace, the first images that sometimes come to mind are often moments of
serenity. Maybe it’s something as small as enjoying the quiet of an early morning with a cup of
coffee or perhaps the resolution of an argument with a coworker. Even for me, I have my small
moments of calm in my busy life, like the relief of finishing a mountain of homework (as I did
this weekend for example) or taking a brief break to relax after class is done for the day. For
many of us, we view peace to be the absence of conflict and stress. However, it is much more
than that. The peace that God calls us to is so much deeper than that – it’s about wholeness,
healing, and relationships made right – not only between us and God, but between us and each
other.
Isaiah gave us a picture of this kind of peace: nations coming together, not to fight, but to learn.
Reshaping weapons of war into tools that bring growth and nourishment, to prepare for life
rather than war. That vision may sound distant, unrealistic, or even impossible, especially in the
state of the world today. However, this message should act as a reminder of what God desires for
humanity – that our strength be used for building each other up, not actively tear each other
down.
Then, in Luke, Jesus wept for Jerusalem as they missed the things that would bring them peace.
And honestly, we miss it too sometimes, whether we meant to or not. People think that peace
comes from having the upper hand and silencing voices that make us uncomfortable so that they
can live “peacefully” without any pushback. Other times it comes from people being so involved
in themselves that they miss what is happening around them and neglect the needs of others.
This raises important questions for us to ask ourselves: what actually are the things that make for
peace in our lives? Our homes? Our workplaces? Our communities? Maybe it looks like
something as simple as active listening and expressing empathy rather than trying to offer advice.
Maybe it’s forgiving someone who hurt us, not because it was easy, but because holding onto
anger only makes it hurt worse. Maybe it’s speaking up for someone who has no voice so that
they can be heard.
Peace doesn’t happen by accident. It comes when we commit ourselves to the daily, and
sometimes difficult, work of compassion, honesty, and forgiveness. It requires courage and
commitment. It requires the ability to go beyond quick fixes and surface-level solutions, and toconfront the real struggles within us and around us. True peace means the ability to let go of
bitterness, seeking out justice where there has been harm and conflict, and extending love in
places where fear and sadness have planted their seeds and taken root, while also loving those
who are hardest to love.
The promise of God’s peace isn’t some distant future meant for generations down the line. In
actuality, it begins here with us, in the way that we act and treat one another, in our speech, and
in our beliefs. We can either choose to be people who create division or those who foster peace.
May we be able to live out these principles so that our lives reflect the type of peace that God
intends for us.
