There is a peace rooted in righteousness, principle, and commitment. “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God” (Matt. 5:9).
One person armed with the gospel of peace can change others with it. Telemachus did. He was a monk who lived in the 5th century. He felt God saying to him, “Go to Rome.”
Telemachus was in a cloistered monastery, but he put his possessions in a sack and set out for Rome.
When he arrived in the city, people were thronging in the streets. He asked why all the excitement. and was told that this was the day that the gladiators would be fighting in the coliseum, the day of the games, the circus. He thought to himself,
“Four centuries after Christ and they are still killing each other, for enjoyment?”
Telemachus ran to the coliseum and heard the gladiators saying,
“Hail to Caesar, we die for Caesar”
and he thought,
“this isn’t right.”
He jumped over the railing and went out into the middle of the field, got between two gladiators, and tried to stop them. The crowd became enraged and stoned the peacemaker to death.
When the Emperor of Rome, Honorius, heard about the monk, he declared him a Christian martyr, and put an end to the games. Legend has it that the very last gladiatorial game was the one in which Telemachus died. Jesus said,
“Have salt in yourselves – be at peace with each other.”
Does it not seem that sometimes we have gladiatorial games going on inside the church, inside our homes, or at work? The games have been going on for as long as we can remember!
Who will be a Telemachus?
Who will be the monk who jumps into the arena, sacrifices himself,
and brings peace?
Peace can be made, but it sometimes comes at a heavy price.
There came a time when Jacob was willing to pay the price. But he could not do what needed to be done in a foreign land.
He had to go home. He had to go back to Bethel. And he did.
“Come unto me,
said Jesus,
“all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give thee rest.”
Let us rededicate our lives to God and commit afresh to Christ today.
Amen.
