Easter Meditation

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

Book 3 Chapter 25: In What Consists Firm Peace of Heart and True Progress

“Peace I leave you, My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you” (John 14:27)

What is it we all seek but peace?  Unfortunately, we generally do not do what is necessary to obtain it.  Thomas a Kempis tells us that peace is found among the “humble and gentle of heart”.  To find peace you must be patient and not anxious in your daily lives.  You must learn to wait and work on God’s schedule and not yours. To obtain peace, you must seek God alone and abandon all our earthly desires.  You must seek to please Him by doing His will at all times.  You should not be concerned with what others think about you or whether they label you a “Jesus Freak”.  It is okay to completely submit yourself to God.  Look at all the examples we are given in the Saints.  Look at our two newest Saints, Saint John the XXIII and Saint John Paul the Great or some of the great American Saints such as Saint Catherin Drexel or Saint Francis Cabrini. These people led heroic lives devoted to the service of God.  Even though they suffered, they devoted their lives to doing the will and serving God.  These people found true inner peace in their service to God.  We too can find the same inner peace if we just find a way to surrender to His will.  True inner peace does not mean no pain and suffering.  It means you will find peace in whatever you face in your life.  True peace does not mean no grief or struggle and that everything goes your way.  While I hear many a prosperity preacher process that a person knows that God loves them and has found favor in them when they have no grief or have become rich.  God does not reward us with earthly treasures or material things.  He allows us to have worldly treasures to serve Him alone. God asks you to “surrender yourself with your whole heart to the will of God, and in not seeking yourself either in great things or small, in time or in eternity.”  You must find joy and happiness in whatever your state of life.  Peace comes only in serving God. You must find joy in suffering and have complete contempt for your life before you can experience the true inner peace we see in the Saints.

A Simple Prayer

Lord, you are the source of all joy and happiness.

You are the source of true inner peace.

Give me the strength to seek you while I am in exile on this earth.

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon