Luke 24:36 Peace be with you.
Peace. Isn’t that what we all want, what we all long for? How do we obtain it?
In American culture, it seems the way to peace and happiness is to be able to buy what we want on Amazon. We need a bigger TV, the latest iteration of smart phone, more shoes, another driver in the golf bag. Having these things will make us happy. And they might for a while. But that kind of happiness is fleeting. And it costs money – often a bit more than we should spend, causing credit card debt to increase, leading to more stress in our lives. No peace in that!
St. John tells us that if we obey the commandments and keep His word, the love of God is perfected in us (1 John 2:4-5). We gain the Peace of Christ by obeying the commandments – even when it is hard, by knowing Scripture, and being doers of the word, giving alms to help the poor. We gain the Peace of Christ by obedience to His word, by giving and being a part of something bigger than ourselves. These are what bring us happiness. Do these things and begin to experience the peace you seek.
Photo Credit: Robert Davis
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