When I was at the maxillo-facial surgeon for an extraction job, he warned me when the butchering would start, but administered a few injections to kill the pain first.  Bu nevertheless while under the knife I did feel anxious and to calm myself down I decided to reflect on the many wounded children in Gaza having to undergo major surgery with little anesthesia. That did help but also made me aware of the urgent need for peace, in all war-torn countries where innocent children suffer so much pain and trauma.

A while ago in my reading around the war in Gaza I came across PAX CHRISTI, an Catholic international peace movement which has as its main core values peace, non-violence and reconciliation. It’s vision is for a world where people can live in peace, free from the fear of violence in any form. What interested me in particular was a report of the Pax Christi International Peace Award received in 2023 by the Parents’ Circle Families forum (PCFF), an Israeli-Palestinian group of families who have lost loved ones in the conflict and meet together to dialogue and for mutual support. This was not a new project but had been happening already before the current war.   Naturally what attracted me was the family component and dialogue as two of my main interests. 

 “Pax Christi”, means Peace of Christ in Latin and the organization was founded by Catholic Christians in France in 1945 to promote reconciliation with the German people after the Second World War. The inspiration came from  a lay school teacher and a local bishop who had spent time in prison.  Peace Walks were an important part of the early work that they promoted as it was recognised that meeting people in other countries was vital to build a peaceful Europe. The walks were an inspiration to others to form groups. And on the 75th birthday of Pax Christi there are now 100 groups in different countries around the world.  Some are in Africa, including the Denis Hurley Peace institute at the SACBC in Pretoria, although Pax Christi’s mission is not noted on their website. DHPI work of research and support in various African countries was for many years involved with peace in Sudan and South Sudan and is now active in more places. Another peace initiative I know of is the Damietta peace initiative, in the spirit of St Francis.  

But let us focus on families and peace walks. One of the articles in BECOMING ECO-FRIENDLY FAMILIES promotes Family Talk Walks by members of one family making time to communicate as they, maybe, walk along a beach, a riverside, but ideally not a window-shopping walk in the Mall of Africa.   Peace walks are promoted for a number of families to walk and talk, share and care for one another’s needs and feelings.  

Two commemorative days and events at this time are the 16 days of activism to stop violence against women and children from 25 November to 10 December and World AIDS Day on 1 December. Although AIDS is not the major problem it has been in the last 25 years, it was reported that thousands of new infections still happen every year, and young women and girls are being infected through sex, clearly by men who are already infected.  Gender-based violence is often seen as a power issue but it is equally a sexual matter.  

How can Peace in the Home be maintained?  Good communication, acceptance and trust are needed from everyone and all ages.  Walks can work, happy holiday ones especially.  Feasting with too much alcohol is a definite no-no and can lead to the ills that should be avoided and should be protected from.  In today’s reading Jesus is standing at the door and knocking.  What kind of family will he hope to encounter when the door is opened?   The empty chair concept for reminding us of gbv deaths can also be applied to having an empty chair at the table, or by the TV, kept open for Jesus.   May he find a spirit of non-violence and of peace and bring that same spirit when he comes. That is our Advent hope. The prayer below is taken from PAX CHRISTI’s  Advent newsletter.        TR   4 December 2024.

COME EMMANUEL, COMPASSIONATE AND LOVING GOD, COME HEAL OUR WORLD.
As we begin the season of Advent, the happenings of our global world are a stark reminder of the importance of waiting… waiting for Emmanuel to come and dwell among us anew… to bring us new hope.  
Waiting for Emmanuel to heal our brokenness…
Our hearts are bleeding, they are torn apart as their veins stretch from unceasing crying for our broken world… O Emmanuel! Come and dwell among us…! Maranatha, Come, Lord Jesus, Come!
Our backs are aching from carrying burdens of deceit, injustice, violence in all its forms… O Emmanuel! Come and dwell among us…! Maranatha, Come, Lord Jesus, Come!
Our eyes are blinded by watching our world fall to pieces through atomic bombs… O Emmanuel! Come and dwell among us…! Maranatha, Come, Lord Jesus, Come!
Our ears are deafened by listening to gunshots and cries of anguish from dying children, young people, men and women…! O Emmanuel! Come and dwell among us… Maranatha, Come, Lord Jesus, Come!
Our mouths are aching from being gagged by shouts of silence amid evil deeds, cries of brutal killings, abductions and dictatorship… O Emmanuel! Come and dwell among us…! Maranatha, Come, Lord Jesus, Come!
Our hands are tied with cords of injustice, corruption, impunity and indifference… O Emmanuel! Come and dwell among us…! Maranatha, Come, Lord Jesus, Come!
Our feet are grounded by the violence of wars that never end, wars of words, of exclusion, of silence amid injustice and demonization of ‘the other’… O Emmanuel! Come and dwell among us…! Maranatha, Come, Lord Jesus, Come!
We come before you with our trembling knees and teary eyes… our heads bent low… our voiceless and muted tones… O Emmanuel as we await your coming… O Emmanuel! Come and dwell among us…! Maranatha, Come, Lord Jesus,
Come!
You our Emmanuel are our loving and compassionate God, Our Creator, Our Peace, Our Hope
Hold us your people close to your heart and carry us as you have done since you created us…
Lighten the burdens of your people across the globe who are dying from unceasing wars, people who are waiting agape, as they grope in the darkness of oppression, no place to call home…
You Emmanuel are their Security… their Comfort, their Joy, their Peace, their Hope… Come, O Emmanuel… Come and dwell among us…! Maranatha, Come Lord Jesus! Come! Come Our Creator God…
Come and dwell among us anew… until we become like you our Nonviolent God; Emmanuel – God with us – Maranatha, Come, Lord Jesus, Come!

THOUGHTS FOR THE DAY DECEMBER 4. CHRIST AT OUR TABLE.
4 December.  “I’m glad that God is not only interested in fasting but also in feasting,” Luke announced. “In our confirmation class we were looking into that, and there is actually quite a lot about food, meals and banquets in the Bible.” “Like Jesus enjoyed meals with friends and even enemies. He used them as teaching experiences too.” “What about the wedding feast in the book of Revelation.”   “What about Jesus joining us and sitting at our table?”  Mom asked.   
 On that day the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of fat things, of choice wines. Is 25:6.  After healing many people the Lord called his disciples and said to them,  “I have compassion on the crowd, because they have been with me three days, and have nothing to eat. How many loaves have you?” they answered “seven loaves and a few fish.” Having given thanks he gave them to the disciples to give to the crowds and they all ate.   Matt 15:29-37.  Pope Francis: A family’s living space could turn into a domestic church, a setting for the Eucharist, the presence of Christ seated at its table.  We cannot forget the image in the book of Revelation where the Lord says, “Behold I stand at the door and knock, if any one hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him and he with me.” AL 15. Reflect, share, and pray: Grace before meals: “Bless us, O Lord and these your gifts which we are about to receive from your goodness, and make us mindful of the needs of others.” Or a really simple one that says it all. “Thank you for the world so sweet. Thank you for the food we eat. That you for the birds that sing. Thank you God for everything.