The Promise of Peace

Gospel: Luke 1: 67-79

The hope of liberation from what oppresses us is this prayer of Zechariah in today's Gospel portion, this prayer that is that of the Church each morning in the Liturgy of the Hours.  What we pray for is liberation from what truly oppresses us - sin.  This is not something Israel awaited at the time of Jesus; they wanted someone to liberate them from foreign occupation, to bring them political freedom.  We are no different.  We prefer the political Jesus to the one actually given us.

We do not accept the offer of liberation from sin because it requires that we in turn show mercy and forgiveness to others. It demands we live as Jesus lived.  But we cling to our family feuds, our spats with co-workers.  We desire the death penalty, animus toward immigrants and refugees, the justification of any and every war and every action taken therein.  We feel we have nothing to repent of while only others do; we see conversion as others conforming to our way of thinking.

And so the promise of peace goes unfulfilled because we see it as some baby Jesus magic to make everyone like us instead of repenting of our sins, accepting God's mercy, and extending that mercy and love to all as God freely did.  But may Jesus truly come to us and may we accept his invitation to loving-kindness and mercy to others.  Only then will peace on earth be realized.