When I pray for peace, I pray not only that the enemies of my own country may cease to want war, but above all that my country will cease to do the things that make war inevitable.
Interpretation
This quote emphasizes the importance of seeking peace not just from external enemies, but also by addressing the actions that lead to conflict within one's own country.
Thomas Merton highlights a profound perspective on peace in this quote. He underscores that true peace is not simply the absence of war imposed by external forces, but rather a deep, reflective commitment to eliminate the root causes of conflict within one's own nation. This involves a conscientious effort to understand and rectify the behaviors and policies that contribute to hostility, advocating for a more conscientious and peaceful approach to international relations.
In practice
Quoting Thomas Merton during a peace rally to emphasize the need for internal reflection on war policies.
The devil is no fool. He can get people feeling about heaven the way they ought to feel about hell. He can make them fear the means of grace the way they do not fear sin. And he does so, not by light but by obscurity, not by realities but by shadows; not by clarity and substance, but by dreams and the creatures of psychosis. And men are so poor in intellect that a few cold chills down their spine will be enough to keep them from ever finding out the truth about anything.
Our vocation is not simply to be, but to work together with God in the creation of our own life, our own identity, our own destiny....To work out our identity in God.
Conscience is the light by which we interpret the will of God in our own lives.
You are made in the image of what you desire.
But if you want to identify me, ask me not where I live, or what I like to eat, or how I comb my hair, but ask me what I think I am living for.
I have the immense joy of being man, a member of a race in which God Himself became incarnate. As if the sorrows and stupidities of the human condition could overwhelm me, now that I realize what we all are. And if only everybody could realize this! But it cannot be explained. There is no way of telling people that they are all walking around shining like the sun.
If you want to bring an end to long-standing conflict, you have to be prepared to compromise.
The most peaceful thing in the world is plowing a field. Chances are you’ll do your best thinking that way.
Like any other people, like fathers, mothers, sons and daughters in every land, when the issue of peace or war has been put squarely to the American people, they have registered for peace.
The more peace there is in us, the more peace there will be in our troubled world.
Let us ever remember that our interest is in concord, not in conflict; and that our real eminence rests in the victories of peace, not those of war.
The teachings of many faiths share much in common. And people of many faiths are united in our commitments to love our families, to protect our children, and to build a more peaceful world. In the coming year, let us resolve to seize opportunities to work together in a spirit of friendship and cooperation. Through our combined efforts, we can end terrorism and rid our civilization of the damaging effects of hatred and intolerance, ultimately achieving a brighter future for all.
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