THE ONLY CONDITION FOR PEACE IN TODAY'S INSECURE SOCIETY

Peace is the state that every living being yearns for, it seems that every activity of a living being is geared towards attainment of peace. This we can affirm in our experience - for we long for, we work for and we directs our mind, energy and resources to what we see would fetch for us peace. Even those who we think direct their thoughts, speeches and actions towards those things whose evil consequences and detrimental impact on peace can be foreseen do so with the blind hope that those things would obtain peace for them and maybe the society they live in. 

Recently, our Country have witnessed what many have termed, "cold-blood" murder of our fellow Nationals and an expatriate, this together with economic challenges especially that of inflated prices of goods and services, corruption even by the top Government officials, natural and environmental hazards like River Katonga flooding, Cattle rustling in Lango and Teso, among others can make many of us who were calling our country peaceful to reconsider our stand.     

We can then ask: If peace is desired by all, why do many of us, if not all, do not enjoy it? Is peace just a privilege for the few or meant to be enjoyed by everyone? Could there be any hope for humanity to enjoy a lasting peace entitled for everyone? If so, where and how can we realize this?

This deliberation favorably responds to the last two inquiries. Firstly, that there is hope for humanity to enjoy a lasting peace which can be enjoyed by everyone and that this peace can be realized even here and secondly that we can realize this peace by examining critically the evils that takes away our opportunities for a lasting peace and embracing the only condition for peace in our insecure society today.

In 1925, Pius XI noted in his Apostolic letter  that the manifold evils in the world were due to the fact that majority of men have thrust Jesus Christ and His holy law out of their lives and that Christ even have no place even in private life or in politics (Quas Primas 1). At that time Europe was flung in great darkness that the Nobel Peace winner of that time groaned of as;

We still remember vividly ... the fearful din of the battlefields, the piercing cries of the dying, the forlorn laments of parents and widows over the bloody corpses of their sons and husbands. Dark clouds gathered from all sides and spread from country to country; stormy skies cast their menacing shadows first in one place, then in another. Insidious doubt seeps into men’s minds, breeding a melancholy uneasiness. Fear takes hold, and the powers of darkness gain sway. Suspicion and distrust grow between nations, between classes, and only thistles prosper in such soil. Hatred grows; increasing insecurity and fear paralyze all initiative, opening the way to every kind of blunder. There is talk of another war… perilous darkness being drawn back into the depths. 

(Fridtjof Nansen - Award ceremony speech 1925)

It is against such evils that Pius XI noted that the only solution to the prevailing situation at the time was acknowledging and accepting the easy York of Christ, that unless individuals and states submits to the rule of our Saviour, there would be no really hopeful prospect of a lasting peace among nations, men must therefore look for the Peace of Christ, in the Kingdom of Christ to obtain a lasting peace. The author of Quas Primas expressed hope for a lasting peace grounded on the firm foundation (Christ and his Church) and believed that men who had spurned the Kingdom of Christ would through recognition of their duty of obedience to Christ the King would come back to the Kingdom of Christ (Catholic Church) to attain stability in societies and obtain lasting peace.

In our Societies today, it is visibly clear that, most states and individuals have neglected both the authority and teachings of Christ and as He is the only hope and condition for the lasting peace: merciless killings, bitter enmities and rivalries between ethnic groups and nations, insatiable greed which is so often hidden under a pretense of public spirit and patriotism, and gives rise to so many private quarrels and corruption, no peace in the home, breeding up of viruses and bacteria harmful to human life and environment, irresponsible use of natural endowments, lack of respect for human dignity and life, cruelty, violence, wars and all that leads to insecurity in our hearts, life and society is not a surprise.

Unless we submit to the easy York of Christ, let us not complain but enjoy this insecurity which our voluntary rejection of Christ and His Kingdom brings to our life. But the only condition for a lasting peace in today's insecure society remains; SUBMISSION TO THE EASY AND LIGHT YORK OF CHRIST AND HIS KINGDOM HERE ON EARTH (CATHOLIC CHURCH).