Paul Suski –
This Sunday, we light the second candle on the Advent wreath; the atmosphere is bathed in a serene glow, echoing the theme of peace. This candle symbolizes the peace emanating from the town of Bethlehem where the Prince of Peace was born.
As our world is filled with noise, haste and uncertainty the narrative of Bethlehem calls us to seek peace, not in the void of turmoil, but in the embrace of Him who stills the tempest. The journey through Advent continues, leading our hearts to a profound and transformative concept of peace.
Christmas is universally celebrated; its timing imposes unique pressures on those in the southern hemisphere, pressures not equally shared by those in the north. Many families are struggling to make ends meet due to soaring power prices and the government’s commitment to zero net target. Balancing the demands of long summer holidays for our children, potentially taking them on vacations, and then preparing them to return to school, all while confronting the mounting credit card bills from this period, is a significant concern for so many.
A considerable number of Australian preschool-aged children interact with digital devices, including smart phones, from an early stage of life. Research indicates that a substantial proportion commence internet usage by the age of four, primarily via tablets, mobile phones, or computers. However, exposure that is either unsupervised or extended may entail potential risks, including developmental or social difficulties.
81% of parents with preschoolers say their children use the internet
Of these parents, 94% report that their child was using the internet by the age of 4.
This might be via a tablet or iPad (92%), a smart-phone (85%) or a computer (83%).
And the worst of all, it may render them deaf to the voice of God for many years thus preventing from the experience of true peace.
Who stands before the throne of the Lamb: the scrollers, influencers, divas, celebrities? Those who follow the spirit of this world must be prepared for the day when they realize they have been deceived, cheated, and sold for a bowl of lentils.
If a person has a close, personal relationship with Jesus, they continually seek peace of heart, adore the Blessed Sacrament in silence, listening to what Jesus has to say, and read the Holy Scriptures. They read books with deep and meaningful content. Such individuals will read stories to their children instead of placing them in front of a screen all afternoon. Parents will take walks with their family by the sea or in the forest. They avoid the internet as much as possible, using it only when necessary. In this way they do not extend the power and inconceivable riches for the Elite who masquerade their destructive schemes as beneficial – rather than lethal for humanity.
Nevertheless, one must not forget that each of us is called to sanctity, for God desires that we all return to Him (John 14:2). A saint is someone who keeps nothing for themselves. What they receive from God, they give to others. Saints usually do not know they are saints. They cherish inner silence, for it is in this stillness that they can hear the voice of the Lord. They strive to cultivate inner peace, like Mary’s serene demeanor, amidst life’s chaos. Our Lady was in inner peace because she was a woman in constant communion with God who dwells within her.
The desire for interior peace is written upon our very nature. Although many individuals make choices that result in internal disorder and even chaos, these decisions are often driven by a misguided understanding of what truly brings fulfillment.
Jesus said to his disciples: “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” John 14:27
A plethora of saints, blesseds and servants of God indeed emphasized the importance of inner peace, often regarding it as essential to spiritual growth and closeness to God. For many of them, this type of peace is a precious pearl that must be guarded above all else.
Here are some remarkable figures, alongside quotations:
“Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever, even if your whole world seems upset.” – St. Francis de Sales
“O Jesus, I ask but Peace. . . . Peace, and above all, Love. . . . Love—without limit.” – St. Thérèse of Lisieux
“O Jesus! Who knows how important is this peace to us; do Thou incite Christians to strive to gain it!” – St. Teresa of Avila
“When I submit to the holy will of my God, a deep peace floods my soul.” – St. Faustina Kowalska
“Those who are in this sweet light know it, and remain constantly in peace and quiet, and no one scandalizes them, for they have cut away that thing by which stumbling-blocks are caused, namely their own will.” – St. Catherine of Siena
“Don’t worry to the point of losing your inner peace. Pray with perseverance, with faith, with calmness and serenity.” – St. Padre Pio
“Faith strips the mask from the world and reveals God in everything. It makes nothing impossible and renders meaningless such words as anxiety, danger, and fear, so that the believer goes through life calmly and peacefully, with profound joy- like a child, hand in hand with his mother.” – Bl. Charles de Foucauld
“Unless souls are saved, nothing is saved. There can be no world peace unless there is soul peace.” – Ven. Fulton Sheen
Let us now open our hearts to the words of Fr. Dolindo Ruotolo, an Italian Servant of God, who contrasts the peace of goodness with the agitation of evil.
“… Goodness is peace.
Goodness makes you live in God, in whom everything is mystical peace, all is tranquil rest, all is pure action, without worry about past and future…God…peace!
Evil is agitation:
impurity is the agitation of the senses;
pride is the agitation of the mind and heart;
anger is the agitation of the nerves;
envy is the agitation of desire;
avarice is agitation of greed;…”
Therefore, the ultimate goal is maintaining peace amid challenges, reflecting Christ’s assurance that He has “overcome the world” (John 16:33)
Only God can give you inner peace. Archbishop Fulton Sheen was profoundly convinced of this truth. In his work, Peace of Soul, the prolific theologian and masterful spiritual director asserts that inner peace “cannot come from the person, any more than the person can lift himself by his own ears. Help must come from without; it must not be merely human help, but Divine help.”
It is certainly not by coincidence, the word “peace” appears in the Diary of St. Faustina in various forms at least 56 times.
The gift of genuine inner peace is one of the most evident indicators that we are on the right track and making sound decisions. When we choose to follow the will of God each day, despite the difficulty and initial sacrifices such choices may entail, peace guides us to the will of God, and the will of God leads us to peace, as assured to us in many instances by the Polish mystic.
St. Leonard of Port Maurice (1676-1751), a Franciscan friar renowned for his eloquent sermons advocating for the Immaculate Conception of Our Lady, suggested four fundamental principles to attain inner peace.
1. To be attached only to God.
2. To surrender to Divine Providence.
3. To welcome suffering and hardship.
4. To undertake only that which our situation in life demands.
I believe that a person who desires a deeper spiritual communion with Jesus can discover valuable guidance in The Imitation of Christ by THOMAS À KEMPIS.
“They consist in offering yourself with all your heart to the divine will, not seeking what is yours either in small matters or great ones, either in temporal or eternal things, so that you will preserve equanimity and give thanks in both prosperity and adversity, seeing all things in their proper light. If you become so brave and long-suffering in hope that you can prepare your heart to suffer still more even when all inward consolation is withdrawn, and if you do not justify yourself as though you ought not be made to suffer such great things, but acknowledge Me to be just in all My works and praise My holy name — then you will walk in the true and right path of peace, then you may have sure hope of seeing My face again in joy. If you attain to complete contempt of self, then know that you will enjoy an abundance of peace, as much as is possible in this earthly life.”
(Chapter 25, THE BASIS OF FIRM PEACE OF HEART AND TRUE PROGRESS)
December 22, 1993, our current Polish mystic, Alicja Lenczewska, in her diary wrote of the true value of peace. Thus we should nature a peaceful heart that radiates calmness to those around us.
“A pure heart will greatly enhance the effectiveness of your service to your brothers and sisters, without many words, without many external actions, without striving and struggling in the world. The peace and order of your heart will generate a power that will transform you, others, and the world.”
On May 30, 1982, Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church, Pope John Paul II on his pilgrimage to Coventry, Great Britain said: “Peace is not just the absence of war. It involves mutual respect and confidence between peoples and nations. It involves collaboration and binding agreements. Like a cathedral, peace has to be constructed, patiently and with unshakeable faith.
Wherever the strong exploit the weak; wherever the rich take advantage of the poor; wherever great powers seek to dominate and to impose ideologies, there the work of making peace is undone; there the cathedral of peace is again destroyed. Today, the scale and the horror of modern warfare – whether nuclear or not – makes it totally unacceptable as a means of settling differences between nations. War should belong to the tragic past, to history; it should find no place on humanity’s agenda for the future.”
Summing up, let me now shift my thoughts to the Northern Hemisphere, where quite recently among the American bishops, the idea of reintroducing the practice of abstaining from meat on Fridays has emerged. Archbishop Gudziak said that return to this practice “would be good for the soul and for the planet.” Why do I mention this fact in this article? My spiritual director would tell me that the most important aspect of any action is the intention behind it.
I would like to propose a spiritual experiment: first, abstain from consuming meat for a fortnight with the intention ‘That Mary may be more widely known and loved; that her Call from Fatima may be recognized and fulfilled by the world’ and for a period of fourteen days, ‘for the planet.’ It will be interesting to see in which case we experience inner peace, which I presume is a sign of correctly discerning God’s will, and what the comments from internet users will be.
It is inconceivable to oscillate between incessant social engagements, driven by the cacophony of noise, the relentless pursuit of success, and career ambitions, while simultaneously seeking refuge in the Sacred Heart of Jesus, attuned to His divine words and the inspirations of the Holy Spirit, and experiencing profound peace. As Christians are but sojourners in this world, it is imperative for them to cultivate a degree of detachment from worldly affairs, for God has chosen them as His first fruits (John 15:19). One must not attempt to serve two masters. But for sanity’s sake, we do need to find ways of fostering inner peace and avoiding the slavery of anger and news addiction. For, we all are created in the image and likeness of God, whom the fallen angels despise and long ago vowed to annihilate.
May everyone enjoy profound peace this Christmas.