"Ceasefire Sabbath"
May 8, 2012
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Have you ever heard of “The Rule of Seven”? It’s an established marketing concept that says people have to hear something seven times before it actually registers with them. (If you haven’t, maybe you’ve only heard it six times?)
God certainly believes this rule, because he constantly reminds us of his love in the Scriptures. As a result, we are all called to love one another. This Sunday’s Gospel, in fact, urges us to love one another (Jn 15:12). Next week, this message is reinforced on the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord, reminding us that we should bear with one another through love (Eph 4:2). We need these constant reminders because we often fall short of loving one another both on an individual level and on a societal level.
The City of Milwaukee’s Ceasefire Sabbath is another reminder for us to love one another. This year it will be held the weekend of May 19 - 20. Ceasefire Sabbath highlights one of the worst examples of our failings to love one another: the violation of the respect for human life and dignity. All of these violations, whether through abortion, violent crime, the death penalty, or imprudent resort to war, require Catholics to take action. Today, I wish to focus on a very local one: violent crime.
This is the 8th year that the archdiocese will join with the City of Milwaukee, the Milwaukee Police Department and county law enforcement officials in Ceasefire Sabbath. This annual event is a community wide effort to motivate all of us to reduce crime and work for non-violence. It is a reminder that all of us need to work to keep our neighborhoods safe and help others do the same.
It’s important that the faith communities take the lead in this effort and that all members of civil society work for a safer community. The city, the police department, the prosecuting attorneys, the courts and the state all have important and legitimate roles to play in reducing violence in our neighborhoods. Even so, they cannot, and should not, represent our entire effort in this regard. In many different areas, the Catholic Church works with various levels of government for the common good. This is especially true in violence reduction because everyone benefits from a safer community, and everyone has a part to play in making our community safer.
As Catholics, we need to rededicate ourselves to the Gospel call to be peacemakers. We need to pray for peace in our neighborhoods. We also need to incarnate prayer into physical action by supporting efforts to reduce crime in our society. Oftentimes, all it requires are simple things such as meeting with our neighbors to discuss neighborhood improvements or meeting with the police about crime in our area. Other times, it may require more involvement. For example, being a mentor for a young person in need, helping an unemployed person polish up their résumé, supporting strong schools for our youngsters, becoming involved with prison ministry, and/or advocating for public policy that respects human life and dignity. These all help to promote our community’s solidarity.
The Ceasefire Sabbath message has been shared for the past eight years. If the marketing gurus are right, it may have registered with you by now. Unfortunately, and tragically, a small number of fellow citizens have not heard this message and continue to resort to violence. As a people of faith, we need to let their victims know that we stand ready to comfort and console them, and let those tempted to use violence know that it will not be tolerated in our community. We also need to let them know that there are alternatives and provide them with the hope and support they need to turn away from the sin of violence. May we all be prepared to repeat this message as many times as is necessary so that our community truly reflects the love that God has for all of us.
Please join me in praying for a safer community the weekend of May 19-20. Together, we are called to be peacemakers and to LOVE ONE ANOTHER.
Hope starts here,
Most Reverend Jerome E. Listecki
Archbishop of Milwaukee
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