“The Peacemakers and the Persecuted”

Matthew 5:9-12

Pastor Deb Troester, STHPC, March 15, 2026

When I chose the topics for my Lenten sermons two months ago, little did I know that when we got to “Blessed are the peacemakers,” our country would be involved in a war against Iran. According to CNN, as of yesterday, “at least 2,000 people in total are dead as a result of the war so far,” including 13 U.S. soldiers. Not to mention that here in the U.S. just this past week a man rammed his vehicle into a synagogue in Michigan, while in New York, two ISIS supporters tried to detonate bombs in front of the mayor’s residence. Thankfully, no one was killed in either incident, except for the driver of the vehicle. We live in a world of violence that only seems to get worse.

Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.” Human beings have always had violent tendencies, from the story of Cain and Abel, up to the recent headlines. Those who restrain violence and work for peace show the world how God wants us to live. For the first three centuries of Christianity, believers refused to take part in war. If a Roman soldier converted, he was expected to resign his commission. The earliest recorded Christian martyr to refuse military service based on conscience was Maximilian of Tebessa, a 21-year-old North African who told Roman officials, “I cannot serve, I cannot do evil. I am a Christian,” leading to his execution. Before his death, he is said to have declared, “My army is the army of God, and I cannot fight for this world.”

After Christianity was adopted by the Roman Empire, the theology of pacifism fell out of favor, although even today groups such as the Mennonites, Quakers, and Amish still refuse military service. Instead the church followed St. Augustine’s “Just War” theory, which states that although war is always evil, it is sometimes necessary to defend against injustice.

Thankfully, most of us will never have to decide whether or not to fight in a war, and we are grateful to our veterans and military members who have sacrificed so much to do their duty to our nation. But how can we be peacemakers, as Jesus encouraged his followers to do?

The Lenten candle-unlighting ceremony, written by Elder Pat Wolfe, and read so well by the Morikang Family, gives a few hints. When we see someone being bullied or mistreated, we can stand with the victim and support him or her. If appropriate we can speak with the bully, or report his or her conduct if necessary. We can take a stand for common sense gun laws. The Presbyterian Church U.S.A. officially supports a “socially responsible” approach to firearms. Our denomination promotes measures such as universal background checks, bans on certain types of weapons, and secure storage of firearms, to prevent children from accidentally accessing them. These measures would save hundreds, if not thousands of lives a year. These are only a few ways we can be peacemakers in our time.

The Apostle Paul gave some timeless advice on peacemaking to the Romans, “Do not repay anyone evil for evil, …If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay, says the Lord.”

Instead, “if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink, … Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” This is a recipe for peace-making that we can all follow. It certainly echoes what Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount: “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven.”

Speaking of persecution, that brings us to the final Beatitude: “Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” In a sense, these final two beatitudes go together – peacemaking and persecution. It has been said that without justice there is no peace. Peacemakers often find themselves defending victims of injustice. Sadly, there are always those who benefit from injustices – companies that refuse to pay a living wage so that their stockholders get richer, politicians who persecute a minority to gain power and support, human traffickers who make money by taking advantage of children and immigrants. Someone who fights such injustices may become a target of persecution as well.

Father Rutilio Grande was a priest in El Salvador in the 1960’s and 70’s. As the director of social action projects at the national seminary, he encouraged his students to care for the poor and to work against the injustices that resulted in the miserable conditions in which most of the country’s campesinos lived. The wealthy elite of the capital finally had enough of Father Rutilio so he was banished to the countryside, where he continued the struggle for social justice. On March 12, 1977, while driving his van to a rural church to serve communion, he was gunned down, together with his two passengers, and old man and a teen-aged boy. His death shocked his friend, Archbishop Oscar Romero, who officiated at Father Rutilio’s funeral. This event became the catalyst for Romero’s transformation from a quiet, conventional priest to one of the greatest defenders of human rights of the 20th century, a champion of the poor who gave a voice to the voiceless. Archbishop Romero himself was assassinated while celebrating mass on March 24, 1980. Pope Francis canonized him as a saint in 2018.

Although we admire saints such as Father Rutilio and Archbishop Romero, most of us would probably prefer not to become martyrs. However, being true to our beliefs may sometimes cost us – whether in money or in friends. It might mean we have to take some action to help others, rather than ignoring a wrong we could help right.

So we have come to the end of the Beatitudes:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, …Blessed are those who mourn… Blessed are the meek, …Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, …Blessed are the merciful, …Blessed are the pure in heart, …Blessed are the peacemakers, …Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness.” These qualities are what Jesus values; they are what he told his followers to strive for. The Roman Empire did not embrace these qualities, and neither does our culture today, for the most part, even though we say we are a Christian nation. Realizing that we are poor in spirit and in need of repentance, being gentle, kind, merciful and forgiving, a peacemaker, even willing to suffer for doing what is right, are not necessarily highly-valued characteristics. Yet they lead to life abundant – to the Kingdom of Heaven, to being called children of God, and even to seeing God face to face.

So rejoice! You who struggle to follow in Jesus’ footsteps day by day, even though it may be difficult, your reward in heaven is great. Even here on earth you can be at peace, knowing that God is pleased with your efforts, no matter how imperfect, to try to do what is right. In this way, we fulfill Jesus’ words that we are the salt of the earth and the light of the world, reflecting Christ’s light wherever we go.

I will conclude with the last lines of a prayer by author and pastor Brian McLaren, based on these final verses of the Beatitudes:

“Help me, Lord, to be among the makers of peace. Many build walls. Many sow fear and distrust. Many spread rumors. Many inflame conflict and profit from it. Help me to be even among them an agent and messenger of your peace and reconciliation, and so bear your family likeness, God of peace.

“Help me, Lord, not to fear being among the persecuted, but rather, to rejoice in having the honor of standing for your restorative justice and rightness, so I will see that your kingdom is my homeland, even now.

“Help me, Lord, to be among those who suffer wrong well and with grace. Help me not to resent it, not to fear it, not to seek to escape it. Instead, help me to find joy in it ... when others insult me, make my life more difficult, or falsely malign me because of you. Help me to see through the momentary, light trouble to the lasting and weighty reward…

“So help me, Lord, to be among your disciples who come to you to be taught. I am a limping, broken sinner and beginner, far from these realities, but this is where I want to go. In your mercy, lead me in this path. Amen.”

Sermon ©Deborah Troester 2026