Tuesday Offering from Fr Marcus 2nd March 2021
My Dear Friends,
We have been exploring the path to Inner Peace and have looked at what it may be, and the things that might get in the way.
Today we start the very difficult process of thinking about what we are going to do about it, and possibly changing our attitude.
For many of us, our default feeling is that external events have a significant bearing on how we feel.
When things are tough it gets to us, and we feel down.
I have certainly come across many people recently who are finding it really hard to cope with the consequences of this pandemic. They have very real feelings of sadness and depression because things beyond their control mean that they are separated from loved ones, and they have no idea when things will get back to any stage of normality.
These feelings are very real, and please don’t think I am trying to suggest that they are trivial. But I do think there are ways for us to feel at peace even when all sorts of things conspire against us.
Let me give you an example from Acts 16. 22…
The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.
Paul and Silas had been physically beaten severely, arrested and put in the stocks in prison. All things out of their control and they had little hope of any sense of a fair trial or justice. So what did they do? They prayed and sang hymns!
How brilliant is that! I would have been panicking and worrying and crying and complaining, but they were able to hold on to their composure and to see beyond their immediate predicament.
I am always amazed when I read this story, and it reminds me of how much I fall short.
But it also reminds me that ‘Outside factors’ do not have to have control over my innermost feelings.
The truth is that it is not the responsibility of others to generate our joy. And it is not the fault of others every time we feel glum.
Let me give you an example and a few scenarios.
I remember very clearly when my mother died. It was in Holy Week in 1979, and of course I was devastated. She was only 62, and in my opinion she was the Best Mum in the world!
I just knew that I would never be happy again. How could I?
I can’t remember how much time passed, but it was after the funeral, but I caught myself whistling. I thought ‘I can’t do that, I can’t be happy, my mum is dead’. So I stopped.
But soon enough I was whistling again, and I had to think about how I felt.
Me being sufficiently OK to whistle didn’t mean I loved her any less, or that I didn’t miss her. I didn’t need constantly be sad to prove to myself or anyone else how much she meant to me.
In fact the opposite was the case. She wouldn’t want me constantly to be sad.
On reflection here is what I learned. I don’t need to have only one particular state of mind in order to do justice to all the things going on in my life.
I can be really sad because I can’t see my family because of Covid. But I don’t love them any less if I can find moments of joy.
I can be really anxious about those who are struggling with depression, but I don’t love them any less if I find moments of peace.
I can be really concerned for my loved one’s finances, but I don’t love them any less if I enjoy my dinner.
Sometimes we fall in to a trap of thinking we have to feel ‘down’ because people around us are ‘down’ and they need to know that we care.
But that, I think misses the point of some of the Gospel teaching.
Our Joy is not dependent on external factors. We can see beyond the immediate. We have hope and trust. Our peace and happiness comes not from what we get, but from what we offer to others.
Let me give you three simple scenarios to think about, and see if in each case you think it is OK to be at peace.
Throughout your conscience is as clear as it can be, and you have not done anything to purposefully hurt anyone.
Scenario 1. Somebody you do not know has passed a remark knocking something that you hold dear. They obviously have a different opinion from you, and you find their comments hurtful. Can you still find an Inner Peace?
Scenario 2. Somebody you know disagrees with a particular course of action you have taken, and tells other people that you are wrong. Can you still find an Inner Peace?
Scenario 3. Somebody close to you, who you have shared love and history with seems to be causing trouble for you and sabotaging the good that you are trying to do. Can you still find an Inner Peace?
The clue in all of these was that your conscience is clear. That being the case, and in particular if you are happy with the actions you have taken, then of course you can find an Inner Peace.
You may feel hurt. You may feel that you have been treated badly. But you also know that to get defensive or aggressive or to try and ‘Get your own back’, or seek revenge will not give you peace.
The spiritual truth that allows this to make sense is when we stop seeking to enhance self and self centred desires and needs, and when we start to put others first, then we will find peace.
Put simply to say ‘Your words and attitudes bring me pain’ is not going to lead to Inner Peace.
But ‘I am working on my words and attitudes’ will lead me to Inner Peace.
From Matthew 5
Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them.
The Beatitudes
He said:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Bless you, Bless you, Bless you.
Fr Macus