The light of the moon glistened like tiny crystals across the frost covered ground. Then the sound of a Christmas carol in German danced in the air. As the last notes settled on the ground among the frost crystals another carol took flight in French. This dance continued until all joined together singing “O Come, All ye Faithful” in Latin.

This chorus took place on Christmas Eve, 2014 on the Western Front during World War I. For a brief span in time, there was a cease fire. Most of the German, Belgian, British, and French soldiers laid down their arms and let down their guard to touch that deepest part of our humanity that seeks peace.

When we are willing to see each other as brothers and sisters, as neighbors, as human beings created in the image and likeness of God, we do better. There can be healing, transformation, and reconciliation. Unfortunately, this cease fire at best lasted but a week and would rage on for another seven years.

Over a hundred years later we are still a world at war. Russia and Ukraine, Israel and Hamas, Southern Sudan and Nigeria in Africa to name just a few. Another mass shooting in Maine. Our country is deeply divided, and we even feel this division growing in our Church.

We just might want to join the scholar of the law today and ask Jesus a few questions of our own.

Jesus why so much violence? Why so much division? Why can’t we get along? Do you care? You may have some of your own personal questions to add. Take a moment and call a few to mind. Imagine yourself standing in this scene and ask Jesus your question.

No matter the question. Jesus faces you, holds you with his penetrating eyes, and listens more intently than you have ever experienced before. If you are willing to hold his gaze, you will see that he is with you, is listening, and hears you. He not only understands, he loves you. In the quiet of your heart, listen for his answer.

The answer Jesus gives to the scholar regarding what is the greatest commandment is that “you shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and first commandment. The second is like it: you shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:37-39).

This law is foundational to our lives as human beings. When we make the relationship with God our foundation, no matter how crazy life gets, he will be our anchor. In the fox hole of the first World War, someone felt God close and sang a simple Christmas carol. And for a moment in time, some humanity and dignity replaced the atrocities of war.

Still the fighting and wars and violence continue. There may appear to be no end in sight for the particular problem you brought to Jesus. It is easy to feel overwhelmed and ask, “Where can we begin?” We begin by staying true to who and whose we are. We pray every day. We continue to trust no matter what that God has not abandoned us.

God is with us. He is not seeking some abstract, universal peace. As Pope Francis said, wars will not end by human means alone. God works with us one person at a time. We need to be willing to be transformed, to be humble enough to recognize where we need to change. What are the thoughts, words, and actions we entertain that are not kind or loving? In what ways do we see some people as other instead of our brothers and sisters? What factions are at war within ourselves as St. Paul experienced when he realized that we do the evil we don’t want to do instead of the good we want to do?

Are we willing to be still to receive and savor the love of God? Are we willing to allow his love to shine in our darkness so as to reveal that which needs to pass away in the grace of his perfection? Are we willing to be healed of our hurts and pain, and willing to forgive? If yes, we begin to grow in our love for God and each other, we will grow closer in relationship with one another and remain steadfast in seeing each other as brothers and sisters.

Jesus has come close in his incarnation, life, and Passion, to help us to experience the love of his Father. He comes closer still to us in the Eucharist. We are most transformed and experience the depth of his love when we receive his Body and Blood at each Mass. Do we fully realize who we are receiving the moment we receive Jesus in our hand or on our tongue? Do we realize the Son of God is organically becoming one with us in our humanity so that we are transformed and become one with him in his divinity? Do we realize that peace is not just an absence of war but a transformation of our hearts and minds by the love of God?

When we are willing to love God with all our hearts, all our souls, all our minds, we will be transformed by his love and better love our neighbors that we have kept at arm’s length or considered an enemy when we truly remember who and whose we are. We are the beloved daughters and sons of God the Father. Then, like a pebble thrown in a pond, the ripples of God’s love will radiate out from us to transform our worn and weary world.

Photo: Rosary walk last night. St. Vincent De Paul Regional Seminary, Boynton Beach, FL.

Link for the Mass readings for Sunday, October 29, 2023