Peace! How often Christ used that single word as gift and greeting to his followers and yet peace seems to elude us. Last week we witnessed yet another school shooting, and the highly anticipated June 12th summit between President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was canceled, although, as of this writing, there is renewed hope that the meeting will take place. When hope of peace wavers, we can turn again to the words of scripture, for Christ noted his peace is not the peace the world gives (John 14:27). Those words signal caution and consolation, but not defeat, for Christ has also called the peacemakers blessed, “… for they will be called children of God “(Matthew 5:9). How then do we as individuals face this daunting task of peace-making? We can look to our Mother Mary for wisdom, for she recognized that the power of God empowers the lowly, those who hold little social power. And so, trusting in God’s grace, we can encourage our leaders in their efforts toward peace and non-violence and, in our own lives, we can try to make peace with those who have hurt us and with those whom we have hurt.