Inner Peace

"Let us go forward in peace, our eyes upon Heaven, the only one goal of our labours."

St. Therese of the Child Jesus

Our lives are but a moment in time. Our time on earth is fleeting; only a short span of days is allotted to us. One day is here and soon, like water falling through our fingers, the night closes in and it's over. "As for man, his days are like the grass; he blossoms like a flower in the field. A wind sweeps over it and it is gone; its place knows it no more. But the Lord’s mercy is from age to age, toward those who fear Him."* It astounds me, that so many people have no fear of God. People living their lives as if there was no such thing as judgement day, as if they'd never die. It's a great tragedy to live a corrupt life, acting upon every whim and fancy, paying no heed to the moral compass that God has planted within every human heart. For surely, Jesus Christ will come at the end of time and appear in all His glory and splendor and "will repay everyone according to his works; eternal life to those who seek glory, honor, and immortality through perseverance in good works, but wrath and fury to those who selfishly disobey the truth and obey wickedness."* The pleasures of this life can be so enticing; the lures of the flesh so inviting but to those who fall into them find nothing more bitter, nothing more shameful and detestable. What is the remedy for all the evils we have committed? The Precious Blood of Jesus Christ that was shed for all.

Inner peace is what every heart thirsts for because every heart was created with a thirst for truth. Truth is a person, it is Jesus Christ; "everyone who belongs to the truth listens to My Voice."* Anything apart from Him is emptiness and void. He Alone satisfies the human heart. Any pursual or desire apart from Him, leads to death.

In the book of Exodus, Our Lord gives Moses the 10 Commandments. Why did He give these commandments? Because they lead to life. Many may think that the commandments are burdensome and restrictive, that it is a long list of don'ts, but it is not so. The commandments were given, so that the Israelites, that you and I, that all generations might find true inner peace by obeying the commands that lead to peace. "But when you have eaten and are satisfied, you must bless the Lord, your God, for the good land He has given you. Be careful not to forget the Lord, your God, by failing to keep His commandments and ordinances and statutes which I enjoin on you today."*

The soul must understand that he is loved beyond all comprehension by God, Whose one desire is his welfare. Jesus desires your happiness and knowing what will give you true happiness, He gives us His law and commands us to follow them. To follow Our Lord and abide by His commandments is not burdensome, nor is it restrictive. Rather it brings true freedom, inner peace. "I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly."*

Every soul has a call on his life, an invitation. We are invited to live holy and pure lives; lives that attest to Jesus Christ truly living amongst men. We do this by following His commandments, by becoming His lamp shining with modesty, chastity and purity... holiness. "No one who lights a lamp hides it away or places it under a bushel basket, but on a lampstand so that those who enter might see the light."* Jesus extends His hand and patiently waits and knocks at the door of our hearts until we answer, that He might come in and dine with us. He desires to live in and through us, to be our hands and feet here on earth. To allow Jesus to live in and through us, we will find His own purity within our souls. His holiness will become our holiness, for holiness alone comes from Him; to truly become one with the Divine Bridegroom. "On that day you will realize that I am in My Father and you are in Me and I in you. Whoever has My commandments and observes them is the one who loves Me. And whoever loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and reveal Myself to him."*

How important it is for women to know their true worth and dignity. I believe that when women begin to know and understand this, by the grace of God, many of the problems we find in society today will be alleviated. Abortion, pre-marital sex, immodesty in all its forms and so many other evils will be stopped when women treat their bodies as the temple of God that it is. When women allow Love, Jesus Christ, to envelop their hearts, life will spring up in society and a newfound freedom of spirit.

"Announce it, and let it be announced to the whole world, that I set neither limit nor measure to My gifts of grace for those who seek them in My Heart."

Our Lord to St. Margaret Mary of Alacoque

Let us abide by His commandments, for they truly are commandments of Love. Let us throw off the false ways and pleasures of this passing life and "I will run the way of your commandments, You will broaden my heart."*

St. Margaret Mary, pray for us.

The Ten Commandments:

Author of description: Michael Hains

1. I AM THE LORD THY GOD: THOU SHALT NOT HAVE STRANGE GODS BEFORE ME.

COMMANDS: faith, hope, love, and worship of God; reverence for holy things; prayer.

FORBIDS: idolatry; superstition; spiritism; tempting God; sacrilege; attendance at false worship.

2. THOU SHALL NOT TAKE THE NAME OF THE LORD THY GOD IN VAIN.

COMMANDS: reverence in speaking about God and holy things; the keeping of oaths and vows.

FORBIDS: blasphemy; the irreverent use of God's name; speaking disrespectfully of holy things; false oaths and the breaking of vows.

3. KEEP THE SABBATH HOLY.

COMMANDS: going to church on Sundays and holy days of obligation.

FORBIDS: missing church through one's own fault; unnecessary servile work on Sunday and holy days of obligation.

4. HONOUR THY FATHER AND THY MOTHER.

COMMANDS: love; respect; obedience on the part of children; care on the part of parents for the spiritual and temporal welfare of their children; obedience to civil and religious superiors.

FORBIDS: hatred of parents and superiors; disrespect; disobedience.

5. THOU SHALT NOT KILL.

COMMANDS: safeguarding of one's own life and bodily welfare and that of others.

FORBIDS: unjust killing; suicide; abortion; sterilization; dueling; endangering life and limb of self or others.

6. THOU SHALT NOT COMMIT ADULTERY.

COMMANDS: chastity in word and deed.

FORBIDS: obscene speech; impure actions alone or with others.

7. THOU SHALT NOT STEAL.

COMMANDS: respect for the property of rights and others; the paying of just debts; paying just wages to employees; integrity in public office.

FORBIDS: theft; damage to the property of others; not paying just debts; not returning found or borrowed articles; giving unjust measure or weight in selling; not paying just wages; bribery; graft; cheating; fraud; accepting stolen property; not giving an honest day's work for wages received; breach of contract.

8. THOU SHALT NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS AGAINST THY NEIGHBOUR.

COMMANDS: truthfulness; respect for the good name of others; the observance of secrecy when required.

FORBIDS: lying; injury to the good name of others; slander; talebearing; rash judgment; contemptuous speech and the violation of secrecy.

9. THOU SHALT NOT COVET THY NEIGHBOUR'S WIFE.

COMMANDS: purity in thought.

FORBIDS: wilful impure thought and desires.

10. THOU SHALT NOT COVET THY NEIGHOUR'S GOODS.

COMMANDS: respect for the rights of others.

FORBIDS: the desire to take, to keep, or damage the property of others.

Notes:

Holy Scripture:

USCCB

Psalm 103: 15-17

Romans 2: 6-8

John 18:37

Deuteronomy 8:10

John 10:10

Luke 11:33

John 14:20-21

Psalm 119:32