Deacon’s Corner

We live in a time that, depending upon your personal point of view, can be described as troubling, chaotic, confused, divided, unsettled, immoral, hateful, disconnected, and even fearful. Sometimes these feelings come from events happening in our very own families, and some in our community, our nation, and in our world. Most of us would like to see change (and if you are like me, you want it soon) but in all honesty, for the most part, individually we have very little power to make that change happen, except to pray of course. 

Mary Schoeve shared this article with me written by Fr. Gary Caster from St. Teresa of Calcutta Parish. He reminds us of just who is really in control and perhaps what we should be praying for. For me, his words really hit home so I want to share them with you. 

A prayer for “greater” or “more” patience is not uncommon. There are many conditions and circumstances in life – all of them an ordinary part of the life we have chosen, parenthood, marriage, employment, priesthood – that seems to demand or take something from us. Although time is most frequently associated with patience, time and patience are not at odds with one another., nor does patience increase or magnify time. In truth, patience has nothing to do with time and everything to do with peace; interior peace.

Therefore, asking God for patience (not more, because it cannot be quantified), is asking God for peace, the peace that only God can give. This is the reason we hear the words of Jesus just before we receive the Eucharist every time we gather to celebrate Holy Mass. Jesus came into the world to impart on us the gift of his peace. This gift of peace is the pearl of great price, it is the greatest treasure, it is a gift the world cannot give.

Throughout the course of each day there can be numerous instances that unsettle our peace. Hence, the request for patience. Yet, because our peace is not given by the world nor the result of any exterior condition or circumstance, we should not become unsettled by the events of life. Some days have more frustrations than others, and sometimes the regular demands of our lives can cause frustration as well, but they should never disturb our peace, the gift from Jesus which secures our hearts within his, and therefore within the Father’s heart as well. With the peace that only Jesus gives, we can, like Jesus be peace in the boat even with a storm raging all around us. 

The peace that Jesus offers flows from a “wise and understanding Heart,” from a heart that knows with utter conviction that God will never abandon it. Peace emanates from a heart that seeks always to be open to and receptive of God’s love in Jesus Christ. By just “letting Jesus love us,” we are allowing the peace of God to flow into our lives, making us like a calm, smooth tranquil body of water that perfectly reflects the Son. It is by virtue of the peace of God that we can love both God and our neighbor. Peace is the animating principle of discipleship; it is the gift of peace that enables us to remain always calm in the face of difficulties, troubles, and interior disturbances. Jesus’ gift of peace enables us to grow in love for ourselves and therefore in love for others.

There may indeed be times in our lives when it seems as if our interior peace is unsettled, that the waters of our souls are agitated. Such moments require that we immerse ourselves in God by prayer – by opening our hearts to him in trust and with confidence and by listening to his Word which has been preserved and handed on precisely for this reason. Whenever the waters of the soul are rippling from whatever stones the world may have cast into them, we must reassert our steadfast and certain belief that the God of Jesus Christ, the Father of Mercies, the Lord of Creation, could never and will never abandon us – not even to ourselves. In those moments, Jesus will do just as he did in the boat with the twelve. He will exorcise the waters storming around us (the word in Hebrew is the same word Jesus uses to cast out demons), and our soul will once again experience the peace that Jesus came to give, the peace that is our reflection of God from deep within the interior of our lives.

-Fr. Gary 

Thank you Fr. Gary for permission to pass on your beautiful words, reminding us that the peace we seek can only come from our loving God.

Blessings, 

Dcn. Mike