The Beatitudes of Peace

Book excerpt: The Beatitudes are "The Hope and prayer and Vision of Jesus, the blueprint for Christian discipleship, the job description of every Christian," says John Dear, whose stirring meditations are a call to action, a summons to take up the Beatitudes as a daily handbook for life. An internationally known voice for peace and nonviolence, Dear combines scriptural wisdom with practical advice from peacemakers like Gandhi (who regularly read the Beatitudes), Thomas Merton, Dorothy Day, and many more, all set against vivid descriptions of peace efforts in places like Afghanistan, Israel, and Los Alamos, New Mexico. In each chapter, Dear affirms that the God of peace is alive and at work among us, calling his sons and daughters into the fullness of a life of true, lasting peace. Book jacket.