Let us not be at peace until we bring about peace!

27 July 2024 | Brazil, Genfest 2024, Margaret Karram

Margaret Karram, President of the Focolare Movement, spoke during Genfest 2024 in Aparecida (Brazil) on the theme of peace. Her talk was part of a moment dedicated to this theme and to the commitment of young people to build it everywhere on earth.

We have just heard stories of peace that were expressed in the most varied forms: songs, prayers, experiences, real projects.

All this strengthens in us the confidence and hope that it is possible to be peacemakers. Pope Francis says that we must be ‘artisans of peace’ every day. And to do this we need perseverance and patience to be able to look with love at all the brothers and sisters we meet on our path.

From this Genfest we have learnt that peace begins with me, with small gestures of care for others, for our peoples and for creation.

So where can we start?

We have said it several times in these days: by breaking down all the barriers that divide us, so as to live for fraternity. And this we can do:

by discovering that our common humanity is more important than all our differences;

then by being ready to forgive and to make gestures of reconciliation. Because to forgive means to say to the other: ‘You are worth much more than your actions’.

And as we did in the first phase of Genfest, let us continue, even when we return home, to be artisans of peace in our relationships, taking the first step towards others. Love will inspire us what to do, and to whom we should go.

Let us forgive without waiting for the other person to ask for forgiveness.

May this Genfest be the moment of our YES TO PEACE.

We must never feel alone again. In these days we have seen and certainly we have experienced the power of ‘togetherness’, Juntos.

Let us be united with all those who are living and working for peace. The communities we are going to build in Phase Three are already a possible way forward.

‘Peace is Built’I want to conclude with a very beautiful poem called “A paz deve ser construída”.

Open your eyes to visions of peace!
Speak a language of peace!
Make gestures of peace!
For the practice of peace leads to peace.
Peace reveals itself and offers itself to those who achieve,
day after day,
all the forms of peace of which they are capable.(*)

Open, speak and act.

So: let us not be at peace until we bring about peace!

Margaret Karram

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