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Bishops call on people to be peacemakers
The Catholic Bishops of Sri Lanka yesterday called on some 1.5 million Catholics in the country to dedicate New Year’s Day as a day of intense prayer for peace for the hearts of people to be transformed so that they would become peacemakers. In a message to mark World Peace Day today, the Catholic Bishops Conference of Sri Lanka said:

“The Universal Day of Peace is traditionally celebrated on January 1 by the Catholics. The Message of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI for the celebration of the World Day of Peace refers to those who are suffering as a result of violence and armed conflicts. Holy Father's greeting is one filled with hope for a more serene world, a world in which more and more individuals and communities are committed to the paths of Justice and peace.

"Peace is an irrepressible yearning present in the heart of each person regardless of his or her particular cultural identity. “The Pope says that peace continues to be compromised and rejected by terrorism, whose criminal attacks leave the world in a state of fear and insecurity and refers to those living in some areas of Africa and Asia, who have waited for years for the positive conclusion of the ongoing processes of pacification and reconciliation.

“In our own country we are once again deeply concerned about the violations of the ceasefire agreement and the mounting tension particularly in the North and East. This situation does not augur well for the search for a lasting solution for peace that has been dragging the country into economic disaster, with so much suffering all around us. Our country can ill afford another resumption of war.

While efforts are being made through dialogue and negotiations to restore peace, we Christians place our trust and confidence on the God who loves us. We need to pray that the Prince of Peace whose birth among us, we celebrated at Christmas would give us the grace to bring about a change of heart in everyone to be peacemakers.

“Universal Peace day falls on the solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God. "Mary the Mother of Jesus" is the paradigm of a peacemaker. Mary herself experienced soon after the Birth of Jesus what it is to be a victim of violence, when King Herod was seeking to kill her child. Thus she understands the depth of agony of a people who are faced with unrest and violence. Mary of Nazareth understood that the Hebrew word "Shalom" means to make whole or complete. Mary is an agent of Peace in the Cana crisis, where she acts to bring about peace, harmony and good relations between people.

“The CBSL, therefore, appeals to all our lay faithful, Clergy and Religious to observe January 1, 2006 as a Day of Prayer for Peace in our country.
“The Day of Prayer can be observed by having the Blessed Sacrament exposed throughout the day with organized Holy Hours, for adoration, prayer and petition. Where this is not possible, the recitation of the Rosary can be organized throughout the day by groups of families”.

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