Thought for the Day – 31 January – Blessed are Those who Love Peace

Thought for the Day – 31 January – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Blessed are Those who Love Peace

“Blessed are the peacemakers,” Our Lord says, “for they shall be called children of God” (Mt 5:9).

All those who are in the state of grace and, therefore, living on the supernatural plane, are the adopted sons of God and shares in His divine nature (Cf 2 Peter 1:4), which they will enjoy one day in the Beatific Vision.
Our Saviour, however, refers to those who love peace, as being in a special way, the sons of God.
Why is this?
St Augustine offers the real explanation (Cf De Serm Domini, lib 1, Cap 2).   God is perfect peace and harmony.   In Him, there is no conflict.   His being and His activity, are identical.   He is perfect unity and simplicity, eternal and unaffected by the limitations of space and time.
Now, the son, should be a living image of the father.
Those who reflect, although necessarily in a limited way, this peace, harmony and serene activity in their own personality, deserve to be called, in a special way, the sons of God. They are the true lovers of peace.

Antonio Cardinal Bacci