Peace Within 

   “We are not at peace with others because we are not at peace with ourselves, and we are not at peace with ourselves because we are not at peace with God.” (Thomas Merton) 

   I know of no one who does not want peace, but I know of few who have found it.  I’m not talking about what the world calls peace but the peace that comes from God and from Him alone.  If we are not at peace with Him, there will never be true peace in our hearts.

   “From now on a household of five will be divided, three again two and two against three; a father will be divided against his son and a son against his father, a mother against her daughter and a daughter against her mother, a mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.” (Luke 12: 52 – 53).  Far too many families are proof of His words, we truly are broken and do not know peace.

   There is not even peace in the churches.  There are far too many who would replace the ways of God with the ways of society.  They ignore Jesus’ words, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14: 6).  At the judgement these bad shepherds will be called to account for the misleading of Christ’s flock.

   Peace in the world is, and always has been, a pipe dream.  There are only times of more or less war, more or less evil.  The world is at war, a war between good and evil.  It will remain at war until our Lord comes again.  To be at peace within we must turn from the world and turn to God.