Awakening to the Power of Peace—Love—Joy—Gratitude

By Jean Maalouf

Humankind is, at the present time, reaching a critical point in history. A disaster of apocalyptic proportions could erupt at any time. “I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought,” predicted Albert Einstein, “but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.”

What we are to do in order to prevent such catastrophic events? We are to change the way we think, insists philosopher Maalouf. We are to see people and things in different ways. We are to see with God’s eyes. We are to witness the birth of a new consciousness.

For philosopher Jean Maalouf, who holds two Ph.D.s and who has published more than forty books, one needs to go beyond the symptoms, he affirms, and find the root causes of our crises. His new book, Awakening to the Power of Peace – Love – Joy -- Gratitude, goes straight to the very core of our crises and points the way to their solutions. The truth is that the battlefield is not primarily on the land where people confront and kill each other. The true battlefield is where decisions are made--in the people’s minds, hearts, and souls. This is also where solutions should be found.


Dr. Maalouf invites us to change the way we perceive reality so that a new way of living can emerge. If we don’t learn to love one another and to live together in peace, we will continue to kill each other, and we will perish together. We are interconnected. We are interdependent. What we think about, how we see things, and what we say and do and the way we live our life matter greatly. We-ly (all of us together), we should live in peace, love, joy, and gratitude.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Aug 9, 2019
• ISBN: 9781796049732

Book preview

Copyright © 2019 by Jean Maalouf.

Library of Congress Control Number:   2019910912

ISBN:                Hardcover               978-1-7960-4975-6

                          Softcover                978-1-7960-4974-9

                          eBook                     978-1-7960-4973-2

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, translated, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author.

Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Holy Bible, copyright © 1989, by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches in the U.S.A., and are used by permission. All rights reserved.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

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Xlibris

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To

The martyrs of our times,

in the hope that all of them as well as their persecutors,

and all and every one of us

find the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives.

— John 14:27

Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in all ways.

— 2 Thessalonians 3:16

Nonviolence is the Spirit of God that disarms our hearts so that we can become God’s instruments for the disarmament of the world. This nonviolent Spirit of God transforms us so as to transform the world.

— John Dear, S.J.

Thus we are witnesses of the birth of a new humanism, one in which we are defined first of all by our responsibility toward our brothers and sisters and toward history.

— Gaudium et Spes, 55

War is not an accident. It is the logical outcome of a certain way of life. If we want to attack war, we have to attack that way of life.

— A. J. Muste

I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.

— John 15:11

Rejoice always.

—1 Thessalonians 5:16

I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.

— John 15:11

A cheerful heart is good medicine.

— Proverbs 17:22

God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them

—1 John 4:16

Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action. And by this we will know that we are from the truth and will reassure our hearts before him whenever our hearts condemn us; for God is greater than our he and he knows everything arts,.

— 1 john 3:18–20

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.

— john 3:16

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

— 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

— Philippians 4:4-6

Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

— 2 Corinthians 9:15

Everything is a grace.

— Saint Thérèse of Lisieux

If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough.

— Meister Eckhart

Contents

Prologue

PEACE

Introduction

Chapter 1   The Prince of Peace

Chapter 2   In Pursuit of Peace

Chapter 3   Prophetic Peace

Conclusion

LOVE

Introduction

Chapter 4   What does Love Mean?

Chapter 5   The Ultimate Love Story

Chapter 6   Heart Matters

Conclusion

JOY

Introduction

Chapter 7   More than Just Happy

Chapter 8   Unceasing Joy

Chapter 9   The Power of Joy

Conclusion

GRATITUDE

Introduction

Chapter 10   Perpetual Dissatisfaction

Chapter 11   Deo Gratias–Thanks Be to God

Chapter 12   Gratitude Therapy

Conclusion

Epilogue:   How about Starting to Live by the Golden Rule

Appendix:   I Am…the Truth

About the Author

Also by Dr. Jean Maalouf

Prologue

H umankind is, at the present time, reaching a critical point in history. A disaster of apocalyptic proportions could erupt at any time. I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, predicted Albert Einstein, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.

Indeed it is very unfortunate to realize that the chances for a world going to pieces seem to be increasing because humankind, consciously or unconsciously, continues to resist real peacemaking solutions. We certainly talk about peace and, at the same time, we do the opposite of what we talk about and even sign.

We need to change directions. If [we] do not change direction, as a Chinese proverb summarized it, [we] are most likely to end up where [we] are going.

So what are we to do? We are to change the way we think. We are to see people and things in different ways. We are to see with God’s eyes. We are to witness the birth of a new consciousness.

Imagine a world without ugly wars, terrorism, and violence of any sort. Imagine a society without poisoned racism, dishonesty, adultery, and gender confusion. Imagine a leadership without malignant political correctness, mental and emotional manipulations, and self-serving interest. Imagine a community that runs without upside down values, self-destructive lifestyles and behaviors, and repugnant hypocrisies. Imagine a nation without a leadership deficit, a character deficit, and a budget deficit. Imagine a world without the counterfeit gods of money, power, prestige, pleasure, and the never-ending greed for more. Imagine a religion whose agenda, beside worshiping God, is to practice the Golden Rule. Imagine a world where righteousness is at home (2 Pt 3:13), where Yes is Yes and No is No (see Mt 5:37), and where truth is known—a truth that makes us free (see Jn 8:32). Such a world is not a world that has undertaken a sheepish reform of a sort, or even some kind of cosmetic surgery. This is a new world altogether; for a new creation is everything (Gal 6:15). I am making all things new (Rev 21:5). Wouldn’t it be the world that we were waiting for, as St. Peter says, In accordance with his promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth (2 Pt 2:13)?

This book, Awakening to the Power of Peace – Love – Joy — Gratitude, goes straight to the very core of our crises and points the way to their solutions. The truth is that the battlefield is not primarily on the land where people confront and kill each other. The true battlefield is where decisions are made—in the people’s minds, hearts, and souls. This is also where solutions should be found.

We are all invited to change the way we perceive reality so that a new way of living can emerge. If we don’t learn to love one another and to live together in peace, we will continue to confront and kill each other, and we will perish together. We are very closely interconnected. We are interdependent. What we think about and the way we think matter. What we say matters. What we do matters. What we live and the way we live matter. We-ly (all of us together) we should live in peace, love, joy, and gratitude.

PEACE

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives.

— John 14:27

Introduction

W hy in the world can’t we all get along? Why have we made enormous progress in all areas of our lives but not in the areas of war and peace? Why do we create enemies and keep them? Why after all these centuries of different religious experiences and great philosophies, do our hearts and our world still fail to find peace? Why are morning, noon, and evening news broadcasts so filled with stories of shooting, rape, divorce, incest, infidelity, torture, stealing, and executions? Why do we seem to be a people and culture more interested in violence than peace and harmony? Why and why and why?

These are troubling and very difficult questions to answer. Instead of pretending to provide an easy prescription for such vast problems, this study will focus on inviting the reader to reflect on the most important questions and on analyzing the causes and effects of peace in our lives. Together we will look at the marks of true peace: spiritual well-being, healing, and fullness of life.

It is heartening to notice that increasing numbers of people and organizations are devoting time, energy, studies, and action toward creating peaceful conditions in our world. Peace studies are increasingly included in the curriculum of many colleges and universities, and many governmental and nongovernmental institutions deal directly with the numerous facets of peace, survival, and quality of life on this planet. All are interested in peace that is enduring. Temporary peace or peace that results from nuclear deterrence is not what our hearts seek. History has shown again and again that that kind of peace will hold only as long as the circumstances remain the same. But circumstances never remain the same.

There must be, at a deeper level, something else that generates a driving force toward a peaceful world. The causes of peace should encompass ideas, attitudes, relationships, political, economic, and social realities that are conducive to creating and maintaining peace. Also, this peace should be based primarily on inner peace. World peace is a reflection of the peace within ourselves, with God, and with others. Peace mirrors our souls, minds, and hearts. Therefore, no lasting peace is possible if we are content with just external means. The truth is that nations do not make peace. Individuals do. Peace is not an abstract concept; it is a living experience.

Transforming our own hearts and those of people all over the world may take time, perhaps a very long time, but it is the only way to achieve lasting peace. If [we] do not change direction, says a Chinese proverb, [we] are most likely to end up where [we] are going. By following the ways of conflict and anger, it is obvious that we are going to end up at war not at peace. If, as we often say, everything has changed since September 11, 2001, why don’t we also change our ways of thinking?

A new world order does not necessarily create a new consciousness. But a new consciousness does create a new world order. All it takes is a change of heart and mind in one person, and in another, and another, and another.

A new consciousness is urgently needed, one that looks forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God (Heb 11:10) and whose inhabitants belong to a new humanity (Eph 2:15). It will be a special delight for me if this study contributes even a little toward the creation of this much-needed new consciousness.

1

The Prince of Peace

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives.

— John 14:27

T he boat, tossed mercilessly by the waves, was in grave danger. The disciples, in a state of high emergency, were struggling for their lives. But Jesus was resting calmly and peacefully. They woke him up and said to him, ’Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?’ He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, ‘Peace! Be still!’ (Mk 4:38-39). And peace there was.

Most, if not all of us, have experienced stormy times when we just wanted something to hold on to or someone who could help us to calm down and be at peace.

We know that peace is essential, because without it chaos, worries, and fear take over our lives. We know that without peace we are paralyzed by hurts, disappointments, and challenges. Only the command of Jesus, Peace! Be still! will calm the many storms that beat against the boats of our lives.

He Is Our Peace

Jesus came to bring peace to the world. We will know this peace when we, transformed by the Holy Spirit, reflect the likeness of God. The miracle of the Incarnation is that the Son of God wanted to be any and every human being, and that there should be no one in whom we do not recognize God’s presence.

All people have their gods, religions, philosophies, ideologies, and traditions. But Christians have something more: a living God. Jesus Christ is not an abstract concept or a kind of an ideology that can eventually lead to some action. Jesus of Nazareth who was crucified, died, and raised from the dead is the Lord and Savior of the world. He is our peace (Eph 2:14), wrote St. Paul. He is so, not as a pacifist movement or an abstract ideal, but because he is, as Peter called him, The Messiah, the Son of the living God (Mt 16:16). His teachings are summed up as follows:

• You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind (Mt 22:37). This means that we should love God completely and not pick and choose what is convenient for us from his commandments.

• You shall love your neighbor as yourself (Mt 22:39).

• Love your enemies (Mt 5:44). This means, in Gandhi’s terms, that we should oppose evil, not the evil-doer.

• Leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift (Mt 5:24). So, reconciliation is more important than any gift offered to God.

• Turn the other cheek. Go the extra mile. No retaliation. No getting even. No eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth (see Mt 5:38-41).

• Do to others as you would have them do to you (Lk 6:31).

• Whatever is done for another person, it is done for the Lord himself (see Mt 5:2546).

• Love one another as I have loved you (Jn 15:12). Note that if Jesus stopped at Love one another, he would not have given us anything new; other religions already have this. As I have loved you suggests that we are supposed to be ready to die for others as he died for us. He was love incarnate. Such love does not discriminate; it is all-embracing. Now we come a little closer to understanding why Jesus can say, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you (Jn 14:27).

Accepting the peace of Jesus means that you are not lonely when you are alone. You are forgiven when you err. You are secure when you face danger. You have shelter when you feel homeless. You have food on the table when you are hungry. You are helped when you are in need. You are safe when you feel threatened. You are liberated when you are overwhelmed by a sinful or frustrating past. You are comforted when you grieve. You are at peace when you are tossed by life’s storms. When you accept the peace of Jesus, you are able to trust God regardless of your circumstances. You believe God’s promises, and you count on the unconditional divine love.

For those times when you forget about the peace of Jesus, visit the following Gospel passages:

• If you are burdened and weary, visit Matthew 11:25-30.

• If you are anxious and worried, visit Matthew 6:19-34.

• If you lack faith, visit Mark 4:35-41.

• If your heart is troubled, visit John 14.

• If you need healing from an illness, visit Mark 5:25-34.

• If you doubt that Jesus is with you, visit John 6:16-21.

Just turn any problem over to Jesus and the Holy Spirit, and you will see the needed result. Perhaps you will not see an instant end of a conflict, but you will realize that the Sermon on the Mount is not a utopian ideal. It was meant for a real world of flawed social and spiritual structures. Jesus does not ask us to love a beautiful abstract concept. He asks us to love one another in this sinful world, here and now. He asks us to accept his peace and share it with others. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God (Mt 5:9).

Does this mean we will always be successful? Probably not. Jesus himself did not succeed in winning the heart of his enemies, even though he was the most loving man who ever lived. Instead, he was hated, humiliated, and crucified. He knew also that those who practice his way of life will be taken advantage of, exploited, and persecuted, For if you love those who love you, he said, what reward do you have? (Mt 5:46), and assured them, Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you on my account. Your reward is great in heaven (Mt 5:11-12). This suggests that even peace, which is by itself a noble cause, should not be the focus of our seeking. The real focus is Jesus himself. Only when we truly seek him will we find peace because peace is first an interior gift. The good we do does not give us the inner peace that can be found only in Jesus—good personified and the source of all good. For he is our peace; insists Paul, he has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us (Eph 2:14).

The peace of Christ is essentially inner peace, and inner peace cannot be found except in God. St. Augustine’s famous line, Our hearts are restless until they rest in you, reminds us of this truth. Every one of us feels unrest and disturbance when we deviate from the path God assigns to us. We are unhappy until we return to that path.

Inner peace usually has three aspects to it: We are on a solid foundation—Christ; we act according to the values Christ has taught us; and we let our inner harmony take over conflicts and divisions.

Once our inner peace is established, it will naturally and necessarily lead to outward peace.