Download 2010 Social Justice Statement Summary

2010 Social Justice Sunday Statement
Violence in Australia: A Message of Peace
A Summary
The 2010 Social Justice Sunday Statement begins with the story of Irish tourist, Gearoid
Walsh who was caught up in an argument in a Sydney takeaway. He was knocked to the
ground and hit his head on the floor. A week later, he was dead. Instead of responding with
anger, his mother said of Gearoid’s attacker: ‘I am heartbroken for him because we don’t
blame him, we don’t want him to serve time in prison.’
Mrs Walsh’s response to her son’s death reminds us of Jesus’ radical message of
peacemaking. He tells us to love our enemies and to do good to those who harm us.
Christians are called to follow Jesus by being peacemakers in the face of violence.1 Peace
and peace-building go beyond simply the absence of conflict. They are positive, constructive
ways of living that require constant nurturing, and that reflect the sacredness that is in the
deepest part of our being – the sacredness that is the presence of the God of peace in our
world.
1. Violence and Peacemaking in Australia
The Personal Roots of Violence
Anger is a normal emotional response to loss, frustration or injustice. When we do not
manage it creatively, it can result in violence. Having good role models as we grow up can
help us to be peacemakers by developing skills for managing our anger creatively.
People may resort to violence more commonly if they are raised in an environment in which
violence is common. The greed and frustration associated with a consumerist mentality may
also foster violence. The promotion of competitiveness with no rules and a ‘winner takes all’
attitude also contributes to this behaviour.
Violence in the Family and Community
Violence is often seen in the home. It is also a place of peacemaking. Courage and patience
in dealing with frustrations and difficulties are often seen in families, but seeking support to
deal with these difficulties is also encouraged.
Violence in public places is on the increase; the incidence of assault rose by 50% in the
decade to 2007.
Marginalised people such as the homeless, Indigenous people and those from cultural
minorities are more vulnerable to violence in the community.
Aggressive attitudes are also promoted through television, the movies, the internet and
video games.
While violence may be growing in the community, change is possible. Changes in attitudes
to corporal punishment in recent decades are an example of this. Churches, schools and
community groups can play a vital role in changing situations of violence for both individuals
and communities.
Social Structures and Violence
Violence has been associated with European settlement of Australia and this has left a
legacy of disadvantage for some such as Indigenous Australians.
Politicians and the media have sometimes stirred up fear and hatred of certain groups such
as asylum seekers, cultural minorities, the unemployed and drug users. We need to use a
critical eye to examine how the behaviour of politicians and the media may promote violent
attitudes.
2. Christian Faith: Peace Triumphs over Violence
The crucified and risen Jesus offers us a vision of a world shaped by God who loves the world
passionately. It is a world in which our love and respect for each other precludes violence
and also prompts us to work for a world where all enjoy justice and peace.
Jesus as a Peacemaker
Jesus taught us how to build peace. He encouraged us to hold on to a vision of God’s care
for the world. Jesus showed us that when we focus on what matters rather than on minor
things like disputes over money or points of law, we can build peace. When he was asked to
adjudicate on minor matters, he would shift ground in order to keep the focus on what
really mattered.
When Jesus overturned the sellers’ tables in the Temple, he showed us that we can use our
anger constructively to remind everyone of what really matters.
Shifting Ground
Jesus often used dramatic gestures and other circuit breakers to end quarrels and hostility.
When the disciples argued about who was the most important, he told them to end their
rivalry and serve each other. He emphasized this by inviting them to welcome little children
who would show them the way to the kingdom of God.
Instead of praising the wealthy and powerful, he blessed the poor, the peacemakers and
those who are persecuted.
In the face of violence, Jesus does not suggest self-defence, but, instead, urges us to shift
ground and seek reconciliation – walk a second mile with the one who forces you to walk a
first, love those who persecute you.
Jesus shows us how to engage with the violent person with respect, to create a space in
which something new can happen. His way of building peace is as applicable to structures of
violence in society and international relations as to personal relations.
Jesus Goes to the Margins
Jesus way of building peace encourages us to go out to others rather than to threaten them.
He did this with the Samaritan woman at the well. Although Jews despised Samaritans, he
asked the woman for water and kept her in conversation which led to transformation.
Similarly, when asked how we should behave, Jesus used a story about the compassion of a
despised Samaritan to show us that we should show loving care to all those in need.
Jesus’ Death and Resurrection
Jesus’ message of love, justice and peace challenged those who had power. They used
violence to quash his challenge, but his refusal to respond with threats and violence and his
acceptance of death was vindicated by God. When God raised him from the dead, it
vindicated Jesus’ message of life, love and peace.
Christian Peacemakers
Throughout the Church’s history, Christians have followed Jesus’ example of peacemaking.
These have included Dorothy Day, Irene McCormack and Pope John Paul II.
3. Faith and Peacemaking in Australia
The Bishops challenge us to take practical steps to build peace at all levels. They ask a
number of questions:
As individuals and families:
How do we acknowledge the dignity of others?
How can we respond positively to anger?
How attentive are we to prayer and our spiritual development?
Are we prepared to seek help when we are not coping?
How can we foster strong families?
For local communities
What can we contribute to the life of the community?
How does our community meet the needs of all its members?
How do we support and celebrate our cultural diversity?
Does our community reject violence?
Can we provide a meeting place?
For us as a nation
Are we engaged in the life of our nation?
Are we aware of the most vulnerable?
Are we prepared to question assumptions or misinformation?
Called to bring peace
From Jesus, we learn that symbolic gestures, while not enough in themselves, are important.
They open up new possibilities for building peace.
The call to Christian peace-building is a call to joy and enlightenment. It calls us to recognise
the power that Christ can give us to build a society of justice and peace.
Peace is deeply embedded in every page of the Gospels and in the liturgy of our Church.
Jesus told us that he did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life (Matt
20:28). We are called to serve others as he did. A world whose people are devoted to service
of others must be committed not to violence but to peace.