October 15, 2025

By Father William Muench
NCC columnist

Last Friday, I celebrated Mass with and for the children of our school and their parents. The Gospel reading for that Mass was the Beatitudes of Jesus, Matthew 5. I was thinking that we should all memorize the Beatitudes, so that they will always be with us. Jesus began his teachings with the Beatitudes.

In the Beatitudes, Jesus teaches us his way to happiness. We will be happy when we are poor in spirit, when we are meek, when we understand the time for sadness, when merciful and clean of heart, when we are peacemakers. At that Mass last week, I decided to emphasize the children being peacemakers.

Recently, I learned something from Harvard Professor Arthur Brooks. His talks are often on YouTube. He mentions his Catholic faith often, and he often urges his listeners to be missionaries. He wants his students to be enthusiastic missionaries to make the world a better place. So, I decided I would encourage the children at Mass and their parents to be missionaries for peace – Christ’s peace.

I knew that the children knew about missionaries. They knew of priests and religious sisters who in faith have gone off to a foreign country to bring Jesus and his message to those people. I wanted them to also realize that there are other Catholic missionaries – lay men and lay women – who dedicate their lives – to being a missionary for maybe year or two to be disciples of the Lord Jesus. They find opportunities to work with the Catholic Church in another place.

I always like to tell the stories about lay people who I have known that became missionaries – some are college graduates who dedicate a year to a missionary opportunity. I always remember four recent college graduates from Notre Dame University I met in South America. It was a while ago, but I remember what great kids they were. They spent a year working in a Catholic School in Bolivia.

So, I challenged the children and their parents to become missionaries of peace – right now – to live well and do something now right here in their school and neighborhood dedicated to peace like a missionary. I asked them to live right now with the love of Jesus, with the Lord’s concern for others, with a true love of their neighbor – to live in peace, love and forgiveness. They can change the world right now – and transform this world into a place of peace.

It all starts with a recognition of God’s love for us, for all of us. God loves us into being. We are important to our God. And, like Jesus, we must treat others with peace and Christian love. At each Mass, after the consecration of the Blessed Eucharist and just before Holy Communion, the priest prays,“Lord Jesus Christ, who said to your Apostles: Peace I leave you, my peace I give you, look not on our sins, but on the faith of your Church and graciously grant her peace and unity in accordance with your will.”

Then we are told to share a Sign of Peace with each other. This Sign of Peace at each Mass is our recognition that we are a people of peace. We are dedicated to making our world a peaceful place.