Editorial

Peace on Earth

The encyclical that Pope St. John XXIII published in 1963, “Pacem in Terris” (“Peace on Earth”) is a passionate and compellingly urgent call for an end to the wars that, as Pope Francis says, “are always a defeat, always!” Perhaps we would do well to revisit the message that Good Pope John tried to teach us some 60 years ago.

Pope John begins his encyclical with an affirmation of the fundamental truth that God alone is the author of all things visible and invisible. He is the one who establishes the necessary conditions for peace.

Thus, St. John tells us that “Peace on Earth—which man throughout the ages has so longed for and sought after—can never be established, never guaranteed, except by the diligent observance of the divinely established order” (#1)

In other words, it is human sinfulness, our deliberate refusal to live as God intended, that begets violence, injustice and war among the nations and peoples who inhabit the world that God created. A real and lasting peace can never be achieved among us until we dedicate ourselves completely to the restoration of God’s plan for us, his children.

What would it take to build a world order that reflects God’s plan? What must we do to place the good of all over the political, economic or social interests of the few individuals or organizations that set the agendas that provoke violence, hatred and injustice over the peace we desperately need and desire? What are the necessary conditions for a true and lasting peace—in the Holy Land, in Ukraine, and in all the areas of the world that are suffering from violence and the absence of freedom?

“Pacem in Terra” outlines the following conditions for genuine peace on Earth which, while framed understandably in Christian terms, apply equally to all religions, cultures, political and economic systems:

The first condition is a recognition of the greatness of God, who alone made the world and everything in it. Without a keen awareness of the grandeur and glory of the Divine Majesty, humankind ceases to search for God’s kingdom of justice and peace. Earthly kingdoms, no matter how well intended, always fall far short of the kingdom of peace and love that is the ultimate destiny of all humankind.

The second condition is an absolute reverence and respect for human dignity. “Any well-regulated and productive association of men in society demands the acceptance of one fundamental principle: that each individual is truly a person,” St. John writes (#9). Human persons have “a nature, that is, endowed with intelligence and free will. As such, they have rights and duties, which together flow as a direct consequence from this nature. These rights and duties are universal and inviolable, and therefore altogether inalienable” (#9). There can be no real peace without an absolute regard for the inalienable rights of all regardless of race, ethnicity, or political and economic circumstances.

Third, John XXIII tells us that “human society can be neither well-ordered nor prosperous without the presence of those who, invested with legal authority, preserve its institutions and do all that is necessary to sponsor actively the interests of all its members” (#46).

As social beings who live in ordered communities, men and women need to be led by people who, St. John says, “derive their authority from God, for, as St. Paul teaches, there is no power but from God” (#46).

Authoritative leadership is a necessary condition for peace, but it’s important that leaders understand that their authority comes from God and is intended only for the good of those they serve.

“The attainment of the common good is the sole reason for the existence of civil authorities,” St. John says. “In working for the common good, therefore, the authorities must obviously respect its nature, and at the same time adjust their legislation to meet the requirements of the given situation” (#54).

Finally, we learn from “Pacem in Terris,” that “the world will never be the dwelling place of peace, till peace has found a home in the heart of each and every man, till every man preserves in himself the order ordained by God to be preserved” (#165).

Peace is not something that someone else is responsible for. It begins with every individual person and extends outward to local, regional, national and global authorities.

May the Prince of Peace who sacrificed his whole life to bring justice, mercy and compassion to our world, show us the way to achieve lasting peace on Earth.

—Daniel Conway