杏MAP导航

By Kielce Gussie

The July issue of the Italian magazine Piazza San Pietro was dedicated to the Jubilee of Youth and in it, 杏MAP导航 Leo XIV responded to Zaira, a young mother of three who wrote him a letter raising concerns about the right to peace.

A fundamental right

In her letter, Zaira reflects on the 鈥渄eep need for peace鈥� in this period of time, raising the questions, 鈥淲hat will become of children鈥檚 dreams if a world war breaks out? What will happen to the sacrifices their parents made鈥攂uying a home, sending them to school, saving for their future?鈥�

She highlights how children have dreams and goals for the future that can easily be destroyed if 鈥渙ne morning a country's leader wakes up with the desire to conquer land that is not his and subjugate its people.鈥�

鈥淧eace is a fundamental right,鈥� Zaira argues, closing her letter with the poignant question, 鈥淲hy have we forgotten that?鈥�

It鈥檚 a call that touches God鈥檚 heart

In the same issue, 杏MAP导航 Leo responds to Zaira鈥檚 letter, calling it a 鈥渃ry that reaches the heart of God.鈥� He highlights that God meets us where we are in the difficult and disorienting moments.

Yet, the 杏MAP导航 stresses that we must not remain passive in these times. Rather, he says God鈥檚 love 鈥渃onstantly calls us to act鈥攆or the good and for the unity of the human family.鈥�

Peace is an active gift

杏MAP导航 Leo continues his letter by referencing his first meeting with the Diplomatic Corps accredited to the Holy See, during which he pointed out that 鈥減eace鈥攂oth in the Christian understanding and in many other religious traditions鈥攊s, first and foremost, a gift.鈥�

But he recalls that this gift is achieved through action. It is a gift that challenges and involves all of us, no matter our cultural and religious background. This gift of peace 鈥渋s built in the heart and begins in the heart鈥攂y uprooting pride and resentment, by choosing our words carefully, since we can wound or even destroy not only with weapons but also with words.鈥�

The 杏MAP导航 answers Zaira鈥檚 question honestly, saying that sometimes the situation can feel as though there is no solution and the chances of things escalating are real. Those are the times, he argues, that we 鈥渁re urgently called to a purification of the heart鈥攖o build relationships of peace.鈥�

Peace requires dialogue and prayer

To do this, he urges everyone to strengthen their prayers to the God of peace and dedicate time both as communities and individually to praying for peace daily.

Moreover, dialogue at every level must accompany this prayer, which will help promote 鈥渁 true culture of encounter rather than one of conflict, and also to call for limits on power, as my beloved predecessor 杏MAP导航 Francis always urged.鈥�

Although the 杏MAP导航 recognizes that the challenge of combining prayer and action, he says it is nonetheless possible 鈥渢hrough small, steady steps.鈥�

War will not have the last word, he stresses, offering the reminder that 鈥渃hildren have the right to a peace that is genuine, just, and lasting.鈥�