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The Seventh Beatitude
Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God.
First, I’d like to establish the type of peacemaker The Christ speaks of here in this Beatitude. There is a difference between a peace that is negotiated between parties over disputes and the one referred to as Children of God.
If disputes are settled merely due to compromise or the result of some kind of coercion, then over time, we will see that it was only patched up on the surface. There is no true peace because neither party is truly satisfied or forgiving. We have seen this throughout time.
So, what is the peace that The Christ speaks of?
True, lasting peace can only be offered by one who is completely at peace within themselves and with others. Peace, on a mundane or secular level, is not lasting and certainly is not aligned with the spiritual teachings of the Beatitudes.
The mystics refer to peace as serenity—a stillness within the heart/core of our being. Peace comes from holding the Silence within us. If there is fear, resentment, selfish desire, attachment to worldly things, or any trouble in your heart, you will not have the serenity that The Christ speaks of.
Attaining Serenity
In all bona fide scriptures, there is a path to serenity: becoming the peace we want to see in the world and embodying the Love we wish to see. Specific practices include prayer (using the Holy Name of the Lord), meditation, and reading and contemplating sacred scriptures. Prayer, in general, is communion with God—it can be verbal or in silence.
The Twelve Step program of AA has popularized the Serenity Prayer:
"God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference."
However, guidance is crucial for attaining wisdom. Without it, people often get guided by their motives and past programming, leading to temporary solutions rather than lasting changes.
The teachings of The Christ, mystics, saints, and sages illustrate that true wisdom and peace are not represented solely by “Peace and Love” on the outside. They symbolize becoming peace and love, radiating from within.
When we align ourselves with these teachings, it results in a spiritual awakening—a conversion of sorts—as referred to by The Christ as being “born again.” This transformation leads to inner changes that may not always be welcomed by those around us.
The Cost of True Spiritual Awakening
From Matthew 10:35-39
"Do not imagine that I have come to bring earthly peace. I did come to bring a sword (this sword is a symbol, it is discrimination). I have come to turn men from their fathers, daughters from their mothers and daughters-in-law from their mothers-in-law. You'll find you even have enemies even in your own household. If you love your father or mother more then me, then you are not worthy of me. If you love your son or daughter more then me, then you are not worthy of me. If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me on the narrow road, then you are not worthy of me. To find life, you must lose your life, and whoever loses his life for my sake, will find it."
Not very rosy is it...this is about giving up our willfulness. If we fully turn our will over to the care of God, meaning, putting God first above all other things. God and His laws are the same thing. We will not have Peace/Serenity by picking and choosing what feels right for us.
My spiritual adviser reminds me this passage is about Jesus not bringing earthly peace, but about bringing wisdom, bringing discrimination. It's about bringing understanding of the Divine principles that allow us to grow and evolve from just being humans to being Divinity being lived through our human body.
It's about Being The Light You Want To See In The World.
He also reminds me, " True Peace comes from Silence (Serenity), and a Peacemaker is one who maintains that silence and stirs it in others.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.
He also notes that this passage emphasizes that true wisdom stems from understanding Divine principles
Only Love
Michael John
All of the above might sound daunting, but that's just the mind unable to understand the unlimited possibilities of Divinity. The value of Spirituality in the world today is needed, which is Love Itself, Being One Spirit, Unity Consciousness. This results in Peace. Make time to be The Peace you want to see in the world.
You can start by joining the weekly retreats, which last only one hour. See below for more information.
Please join the StillPoint community (see below) for our weekly retreat. Until then, be the peace you want to see in the world.
Only Love
Michael John
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