The Gift of Peace

From the Hermitage

Sacred Scriptures

Dear Friends,

First, I ask again for you prayers for my brother who returned to the hospital last Friday.  Today he will undergo a colonoscopy to determine the cause of some internal bleeding.  Of course Jack is concerned that the procedure could lead to serious issues, like cancer.  However, he continues to remain silent, quietly allowing the medical profession to care for him and for his family and friends to continue their prayers for God's intervention into his life at this time.

Now to the reflection for today:  in the gospel today we hear Jesus speaking of his promise to guarantee peace to each of us.

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.
Not as the world gives do I give it to you.
Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid ...."

How frequently we encounter these words of Jesus!  I feel the need to ask myself at this time of great turmoil in my heart because my brother is going through seemingly unending health issues:  when will God's peace be restored to my brother and to those of us who help him physically as well as through the spiritual world of intercessory prayer on his behalf?  What is this peace that we are seeking?

It is an internal awareness that God is the person in control.  It is accepting the reality that God is using this seemingly non-ending journey through suffering and pain to bring us to understand what His peace means for us.

I do believe God give each of us an invitation to find in the sufferings and other such trials in our lives the opportunity to engage in very personal and quiet prayer with Jesus Christ.  It is in these moments with Jesus, our brother, who suffered so much for me, that we need the graces of the Holy Spirit to have hearts and minds that are open to the voice of God that we encounter.

Let the pains and frustrations we encounter each day become the key that opens our hearts to learn my clearly what God's mission in this life is for each of us.

Oremus pro invicem!

Fr. Milt