by John Dear, sj

Mary of Nazareth made the difficult but beautiful journey from contemplative nonviolence to active nonviolence to prophetic nonviolence. She was faithful to the God of peace and the journey to God. She loved God, loved her neighbors and in her prophetic call for justice, loved her enemies. She was a pilgrim of peace, and never turned away from her mission of nonviolence.

Each one of us has to take up that Gospel journey. That means we all have to start anew down the road of nonviolence. We have to turn to God in peace, allow God to disarm our hearts, go forth to our neighbors in need, love our enemies and proclaim God's revolutionary nonviolence to the world. We have to practice Gospel nonviolence, within us, around us, and publicly in our world. We have to live God's gift of peace in our hearts, practice it among our family, friends, and communities, and proclaim it publicly to the war making authorities. We have to announce the social, political and economic consequences of God's reign of justice here and now through steadfast, provocative, prophetic nonviolence, as the epitome of the spiritual life.