Painting by Kathryn Fincher
by Father Lasance, Peace Not as the World Gives
PEACE OF HEART
A great secret for preserving peace of heart is to do nothing with over-eagerness, but to act always calmly, without trouble or disquiet. We are not asked to do much, but to do well. At the Last Day, God will not examine if we have performed a multitude of works, but if we have sanctified our souls in doing them.
Now, the means of sanctifying ourselves is to do everything for God and to do perfectly whatever we have to do. The works that have as their motive vanity or selfishness make us neither better nor happier, and we shall receive no reward for them.
Patience hath a perfect work; that you may be perfect, failing in nothing. —James i. 4.
Whatsoever you do in word or in work, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. —Col. iii. 17.
PEACE IS FOUND IN CONFORMITY TO THE WILL OF GOD
God desires only that which is best for us, namely, our sanctification. “This is the will of God,” says the Apostle, “your sanctification” (Thess. iv. 3).
Let us take care, therefore, to subdue our own will, uniting it always to the will of God; and thus also let us endeavor to control our mind, reflecting that everything that God does is best for us.
Whoever does not act thus, will never find true peace. All the perfection which can be attained in this world, which is a place of purification, and consequently a place of troubles and afflictions, consists in suffering patiently those things which are opposed to our self-love; and in order to suffer them with patience, there is no more efficacious means than a willingness to suffer them in order to do the will of God.
Submit thyself then to Him, and be at peace” (Job xxii. 21).
He that acquiesces with the divine will in everything, is always at peace; and nothing of all that happens to him can make him unhappy. “Whatever shall befall the just man, it shall not make him sad” (Prov. xii. 21).
But why is the just man never miserable in any circumstances? Because he knows well, that whatever happens in the world, happens through the will of God. —St. Alphonsus Liguori.
We deceive ourselves greatly if we think that union with God consists in ecstasies and spiritual consolations. It consists alone in thinking, saying, doing that which is in conformity to the will of God.
This union is perfect when our will is detached from everything, attached but to God in such a manner that it breathes but His pure will. This is the true and essential union that I ardently desire, and continually ask of Our Lord. —St. Teresa.
WHAT MADNESS!
Man, being endowed with a will of his own, possesses the awful power of resisting the will of the Almighty; but this he does at his own great peril; for his true happiness both here and hereafter is bound up in submission to that will.
Whenever he refuses to obey his conscience, he sets himself against God, for conscience is the voice of God. In this life he may defy His Maker; but not forever. The Almighty must prevail in the end.
What madness, then, to resist the irresistible! What madness to treat one’s best friend as an enemy!
“Be you humbled, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in the time of visitation, casting all your care upon Him; for He hath care of you” (I Pet. v. 6, 7).
Submission and confidence is my proper attitude, submission to God’s power, confidence in God’s kindness; for thus the divine omnipotence will be placed at my service. “He will do the will of them that fear Him” (Ps. cxliv. 19).
THE INFINITE WISDOM OF GOD
In all His dealings with man God shows Himself infinitely wise. He has given him intelligence to know his duty and free will to do it; and this free will He never takes away, however much it may be abused.
He helps him with His grace to overcome the concupiscence of his corrupt nature and waits for him with unwearied patience, sending him afflictions, indeed, but only to wean him from the dangerous love of this world, which attracts him as the flame attracts the moth; for the one object of this good Father is to save His child from casting himself into eternal misery and to secure his lasting happiness.
Yet, man will not trust himself to God’s guidance. He thinks, poor fool, that he knows his own interests better and can take care of himself. He will put himself unreservedly in the hands of a physician and take cheerfully the remedies he prescribes, however unpleasant, for he holds bodily life and health to be worth any price; but of life and health eternal he reckons little.
For my part, I will leave myself in the care of the good God, Who knows infinitely better than I do what is profitable to me. It would be folly, indeed, not to trust One Who loves me so well.
“The love of parents is made manifest only through sacrifice, respect for the human nature of their children, companionship and a deep interest in the studies, the work, the play and the progress of their children. It does not injure the children by coddling them; it does not stunt them by unreasonable severity in its demands and punishments.” -Fr. Donald Miller, C.SS.R., 1950’s
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St Alphonsus wrote that the busy man has but one temptation to combat, whereas the the idle man has a thousand.
A blest feast of Christ the King, and may His peace reign in all our homes. 🙂
Thank you so very much for Fr. Lasance on peace!!