Reflecting on Pope Francis’ 2015 "WORLD DAY OF PEACE" Address
“Peace is always possible…and we must seek it…Wars turn us into slaves…All of us are called to be free, called to be sons and daughters, called to combat modern forms of enslavement.” Pope Francis said in his address for the World Day of Peace 2015. The Savior of humanity, who in humble circumstances entered our world to empower the marginalized and vulnerable has issued us a challenge not for a day or year, but our entire life: If you live in my love and follow my commands, you are no longer slaves, for I call you friends.
This New Year brings a new opportunity for anyone who claims to be connected with the Savior celebrated on Christmas Day: On this new day in a New Year nearly 36 million people across the globe are trapped in some form of slavery, whether it be human trafficking, the exploitation of migrants, refugees far from home through war, violence and instability, or those enslaved because of poverty and economic inequality. Women and children especially are vulnerable and comprise the majority of those subjected to the diminishment of their human dignity as persons created in the image and likeness of our Creator.
Can we embrace the task of recognizing with greater urgency the Divine Image of God in all of our sisters and brothers? Then they are lifted up and the equal dignity we all share as human sisters and brothers in the family of God becomes real and visible, witnessed for all our world.
Wherever we live – whether Haiti, or Uganda, or the United States, or Kenya, or Poland, wherever we journey, we belong to God as his sons and daughters, and to Jesus as his brothers and sisters. Can this coming year bring us the irreplaceable gift of peace that comes from the revelation of Christ in every person surrounding us? Then the peace of God will indeed guard our minds and hearts within each of us.