Promoters of peace must contemplate true wisdom, instructs Holy Father

Vatican City, Sep 20, 2009 / 07:18 am

Before Sunday’s Angelus prayer in the courtyard of Castel Gandolfo’s apostolic palace, Pope Benedict XVI turned to the day’s reading from the Letter of James and noted that while reflecting on true wisdom may not "resolve all problems of daily life," it aids in confronting "them more serenely and effectively."

St. James "describes true wisdom in contrast to that which is false," the Holy Father explained. "While the latter is ‘earthly, material and diabolic’ and recognized by the fact that it provokes jealousy, disputes, disorder and every sort of bad action, on the contrary, the wisdom that comes from on high is above all pure, peaceful, tame, compliant, full of mercy and of good fruits, impartial and sincere."

The Pontiff added that wisdom "has no need to impose itself by force because it possesses the invincible vigor of truth and of love, taking hold by itself. Accordingly it is peaceful, tame and compliant, does not use partiality, or does not have recourse to lies. It is indulgent and generous and recognizes good fruits, which it provokes in abundance."

He went onto say that above all, those who are called to be promoters or "weavers" of peace in religious and civil communities, in social and political relationships and in international relations should stop to contemplate every so often the beauty of true wisdom.

"To do works of peace it is necessary to be men of peace, to begin to learn ‘the wisdom that comes from on high, assimilating its qualities and producing its effect," he explained. "If everyone, in their own state, could succeed in rejecting lying and violence in intention, word and action, cultivating with care sentiments of respect, comprehension and esteem for others, it might not resolve all problems of daily life, but it could confront them more serenely and effectively."

Following the Angelus, the Pope addressed the recent deaths of Italian soldiers in Afghanistan. He said, "I unite myself with prayer to the suffering of their relatives and to the civil and military community and at the same time, I think with equal sentiments of other international contingents, who have recently suffered death while working to promote peace and institutional development, so necessary for human coexistence."

He also renewed his "encouragement of the promotion of solidarity among nations so as to contrast the reason for violence and death, to favor justice, reconciliation and peace and to sustain the development of peoples."