Thursday Offering from Fr Marcus 25^th February 2021

The Lenten Path to Inner Peace (part 3)

Psalm 34:8 

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!

Good Morning My Friends.

In good liturgical practice I want to begin with

Peace be with you
And also with you.

(Don’t you think ‘And with Thy Spirit’ sounds so much more beautiful!)

Last time we reflected on three ways that we might identity an Inner Peace. From the quite dramatic inward and external cleansing to the much more usual ‘acknowledging that we think the same as others (who we look up to)’ and then to that kind rooted in Religious experience.

I hope you have had an opportunity to think about times when you have felt a deep peace, particularly a Christ cantered reality, and a feeling that all was well.

Today however we are going to explore some of the things that can get in the way, and it is very clear that there are common themes that run through them all.
Grief, anxiety, stress, worry, hunger, illness, depression, emotional upset, feeling hurt or misunderstood. All of these, and many more will impact on our quest for Inner Peace, and if we allow it, we could certainly think that there is so much going on in our lives, and in the world, that we will never be able to find a lasting Inner Peace. But I think we can.

There is something very different between what the world has to offer, and what we experience when we rest in the Lord.

Two very well known examples.

Our hearts are restless until they find their rest in you. St Augustine of Hippo

Romans 8:38-39
For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers,  nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
On our own we can be restless, but with the Lord there can be peace, and nothing needs to get in the way.

The common theme that runs through all of those emotions and experiences that stop us being at peace is that they are all very real, and they can have a huge impact on our lives.
Grief can make us feel as if a great part of our soul is destroyed and anxiety can rob us of any feelings of peace and calm. Stress can trigger thought processes that can fill our minds and worry can cause us sleepless nights which in turn steal any sense of wellbeing.
I could go on, but you get my drift – all these things and more can impinge upon any sense of peace particularly if we are striving to find it. It can seem hopeless, and the more we think about all the issues that face us the worse it can get.

So, I reiterate we have a big task, and it is not either quick or simple, and we are used to the idea that life is hard and it throws us lemons.

But I also want to stress that the scriptures are absolutely full of promises of Peace, and the call for us not to be afraid. To the extent that phrases like ‘Do not be afraid’ occur over 365 times, as if there is one for every day.

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” Jn 16.33

My Friends, we have two tasks for our contemplation over the weekend.
the first is to try and thing of all of the scriptures that you can that speak to you of peace. Feel free to look them up, google them, ask others. It is not a competition, but a reminder of the depth of the desire that God has for us to be at peace with ourselves, and with one another.

The second it to explore your own emotions, and try and identify any things that you feel are standing in the way of you experiencing Inner Peace at the moment. This is not about solving issues, but about having a real sense of how you are feeling.

And just to put things into perspective read this little bit out loud.

Philippians 4

 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: rejoice! ⁵ Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. ⁶ Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

⁸ Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things. ⁹ Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me – put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Bless you, Bless you, Bless you,

Fr Marcus