Do You Know Peace? 

From the BSM Campus Ministry Team, Mr. Brady, Mr. J, and Ms. Hodapp

Do you know peace? 

For many, peace can be the feeling when one lays their head down on their pillow after a long day of work, studying, parenting, teaching, or writing a paper. This is a “my task is done at last” kind of peace. One can also experience peace once a big decision has been made and you know it was the right choice for you. Perhaps you will feel this way when you make the final decision of where to go to college, where to work, or where to live. Moreover, peace is what so many in the world are seeking in countries and regions torn apart by war and terror. For these individuals, peace can feel far away.

In all these examples, peace might be defined as the absence of conflict or discomfort. While these can certainly be noble goals to strive for, they also can limit our understanding of what peace really is. 

Did you know, in the Catholic tradition, peace is possible even amidst great trials and challenges? In this sense, peace is not so much the absence of a looming deadline or even the absence of international conflict (even though both are certainly good things to strive for). Peace is an act of trust in God. Peace is knowing Jesus is King of the Universe and He is ultimately the one that rules our heart if we let Him. Peace is when one says yes to Jesus and all that it means to be a follower of Christ.

As we head into this second week of Advent, peace is the traditional theme associated with the week. Let this week be an opportunity to seek both kinds of peace. To work to end international conflicts while also working to make room in our hearts for the One who is everlasting peace.

God bless.