From Peace to Peace

Last week, in “The Morality of the War with Iran,” I wrote concerning peace between nations.  There is also a deeper peace that we are to seek (see my recent articles “The World is a Mess” and “Pray for Peace…What is Peace?”). 

This deeper peace is the Peace of Christ that Jesus offers us.   

Which is more important to you?  Peace in worldly terms or the peace of Christ? 

They are not mutually exclusive.  If we seek to do God’s Will, we can have both.   

If there is peace in the world, it can be easier for us to feel the peace of Christ in our hearts. 

If we feel the peace of Christ in our hearts, then worldly things do not mean as much to us.  With the peace of Christ in our hearts, we may find ourselves letting go of pride, greed, envy, and desire for power or control.  When we let these things control our lives, they may lead us to war.  When we let go of them, we can find ourselves closer to both worldly peace and peace in our hearts. 

Letting go of these things can bring us closer to worldly peace because we are not fighting for these things.  Instead of being selfishness, we need to work in solidarity with one another.  When we let go of unnecessary wants, we can begin to see the real suffering others face.  Instead of every human for themselves, we seek to help one another.  We seek to become one body, one spirit in Christ (see 1 Corinthians 12).   

When I think of letting go of things that are beyond our control, I think of the Serenity Prayer.  The first four lines are known by many.   

God grant me the serenity 
to accept the things I cannot change;  
courage to change the things I can;  
and wisdom to know the difference. 

If we want to know the peace of Christ in our hearts, we need to accept the things we cannot change.  We only cause ourselves unneeded frustration when we try to change what is not ours to change. 

On the other hand, if we want to do our part to make the world a better place, we need to change the things that are within our ability to change and are God’s Will for us to change. 

To know the difference of what we are supposed to change versus what we cannot change, we need to pray for the “wisdom to know the difference.”  We need to ask God what He wants us to do. 

While many people know the first four lines of the Serenity Prayer, there are more lines.  It continues: 

Living one day at a time;  
enjoying one moment at a time;  
accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;  
taking, as He did, this sinful world 
as it is, not as I would have it;  
trusting that He will make all things right 
if I surrender to His Will;  
that I may be reasonably happy in this life 
and supremely happy with Him 
forever in the next.  
Amen. 

To know God’s peace in our hearts, we need to live one day at a time, taking time to savor the good things of the day.  This does not mean there will not be hardships.  When hardship comes our way, we should pray using the words that Jesus prayed in the garden, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet, not as I will, but as you will” (Matthew 26:39).  Jesus’ suffering saved us from our sins.  Are you willing to let God work through your suffering to bring good, to bring peace? 

Are you willing to take “this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it?  This is very hard for me.  I want to fix everything.  The Holy Spirit has to work very hard to get me to understand this.  I do not like the way the world is.  If you ask me, the world is a mess.  That’s why I wrote my previous article, “The World is a Mess”. 

I need a lot of grace to let go and leave things to God.  Here I think of the Prayer of Abandonment by Charles de Foucauld.  I pray the line “do with me what you will” with deep sincerity.   

On the other hand, I very much struggle with the line, “I am ready for all, I accept all.”  I am not ready to deal with “all” for two reasons.  First, it is not for me to deal with “all.”  Second, I cannot deal with everything I am supposed to all at once.   

I struggle to accept all.  I feel like that if I “accept it,” then I am approving of it.  I suspect that is not the intent Foucauld wrote the prayer with.  I wonder if what he is trying to guide us to is that  is that in “accepting” something, it simply means that we do not expect everything to be just the way we want. 

I also think of the prayer commonly attributed to St. Francis,  God does want us to do our part to change the world.  Instead of allowing ourselves to get caught in the negative, we need to be beacons of light to show forth what is good to the world. 

Will everyone accept us when we speak God’s Truth?  That seems unlikely in the world we live in today.  I know people do not always react well to what I say.  Sometimes they misinterpret it.  Other times they want something different.  I hope what I seek is what God wants.   If what I seek is God’s Will, then when others reject it, it is not me they reject but God (see 1 Samuel 8:7). 

In seeking peace in this world and peace in my heart, I know I do not have all the answers.  I know I am not supposed to.  Job began to realize this in chapter 38 of the book in the Old Testament that tells his story.   

I seek peace by following Jesus as the way and the truth and the life (John 14:6). 

Where do you look for peace? 

Peace, 

 Fr. Jeff