The Path to Peace

It’s not uncommon to hear someone say something like “Years ago, people were more trusting. People left their cars unlocked. Hitchhiking was common. Children would wait for the school bus without a parent lingering nearby.”  Is the person saying this romanticizing the past, or has civility truly taken a turn for the worse, and if so, by how much?

Minnesota Crime Statistics provide an objective measure. From 1960 through 2023, the population of Minnesota increased by 68%, but the number of annual murders increased from 40 to 181, or by 352%; the number of rapes increased from 76 to 1689, or 2100%; the number of aggravated assaults (i.e., an assault that causes severe bodily injury) increased from 329 to 9986, or up 2900%!

Other statistics are also quite disturbing: From 1999 to 2017 (the years for which data was readily available), suicides increased from 437 to 783, or up 79%. From 2013 through 2022 (again, using the years for which data was readily available), drug overdoses increased from 390 to 1392, or up 257%. We are becoming a less peaceful society: lacking inner peace, and less peaceful toward others.

Why is this happening? It certainly seems related to the de-Christianization of our culture. Many have never known, or lost sight of, or rejected the purpose of their existence, which is eternal felicity with our Creator, the angels and saints in Heaven. According to the Pew Research Center, adults with no religious affiliation increased from 16% of the US population in 2007 to 28% in 2023. The words of Abp. Fulton Sheen come to mind: “Apart from an outside supernatural assistance society goes from bad to worse until deterioration is universal. Not evolution but devolution is the law of man without God.” 

But this devolution need not continue! There is hope, and that hope is what we anticipate during Advent and celebrate at Christmas. In Isaiah 9:6 we hear: “For a child is born to us, and a son is given to us, and the government is upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called, ‘Wonderful, Counselor, God the Mighty, the Father of the world to come, the Prince of Peace.’” 

Why is Jesus called the “Prince of Peace”? Because He came to restore the bond that was broken by the sin of Adam and Eve: “He paid a debt He did not owe, because we owed a debt we could not pay.”  He came not only to tell us how to return God’s love by living rightly “If you love Me, keep My Commandments,” but to show us through His actions. To the extent we do so, we experience inner peace. He assures us that if we return God’s love, we will experience the eternal peace and joy of Heaven.

What does He prescribe? Not only “Do not kill,” but don’t get angry or hate (Mat 5:22), not only “Do not commit adultery,” but don’t even think about it. (Mat 5:28) “Turn the other cheek,” “love your enemy,” “forgive,” “Do not lay up for yourself treasures on earth… but lay up for yourselves treasures in Heaven.” He told us to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, visit the sick and imprisoned, comfort the sorrowful, admonish the sinner, etc. Finally, He told us to sacrifice: “deny thyself and take the cross,” and expect to suffer persecution, keeping in mind that “your reward is great in Heaven.”

To the extent that each of us follows these, we will have more inner peace --- more peace in our interactions with others and a more peaceful society. Jesus told us: “Let your light before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to God...”

Fr. Tilmann Pesch, in his book The Christian Philosophy of Life, says “Christianity makes provision for the temporal welfare of mankind by recognizing human nature with its needs as the true basis of all social order; by imposing restraint on human passions, and pointing to an eternal good in which the heart’s instinctive longing after happiness will find satisfaction. That society alone is capable of happiness, said St. Augustine, whose queen is truth, whose law is love, and whose end is eternity.” (p. 581)

The prophet Zecharaiah says, “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion.... Shout! O daughter of Jerusalem, Behold, thy king cometh unto thee, the just and Savior. And He shall speak peace unto the Gentiles.” So be it: Rejoice!

Please help the station if you can through word of mouth, your prayers, by offering to volunteer, or if possible, a financial contribution. Our landlord just raised our rent and our location is unsafe. We would like to purchase a small building.

Peace, and Merry Christmas to all!

Thank you, to all our volunteers, and thank you, viewers, who together make this apostolate possible.