Finding peace for our restless hearts.

     We are all longing for peace…that feeling of contentment…a sense of well-being…an inner stillness--and our society, well aware of our yearning, tries to sell us the ultimate vacation…that brand new car…that piece of jewelry…that one possession that will achieve the feeling for which we are searching.

     And it seems for a time to bring us contentment until the feeling begins to fade and we are off searching for the next thing to fill our void.

     Nothing of this world will bring us lasting peace. At times we often forget that we are wayfarers and sojourners, with a destination engraved on our hearts for Someone who is not of this world.  


     St. Augustine said it long ago, “You have made us for Yourself and our heart is restless until it rests in You.” Augustine did not come to that conclusion without experiencing a lot of pain and emptiness. His yearning for God was so very great, yet it was unknown to him. He lived his life trying to fill his hearts’ desires with people and things and through God’s grace and the prayers of his mother, St. Monica, he came to know God and found the peace and love that he was seeking all along.

     Our hearts too are yearning and aching for God, yet we mistake it for something else and go unsatisfied, longing for that elusive peace. And so our quest continues as life’s happenings challenge us to our very core and make us question if peace exits at all.

     Well, I write this to assure you that I have found the very thing that will bring peace into your life…spending time with Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament. Jesus Himself tells us, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you.”

      The time I spend with Jesus is something I treasure. I can come before Him and be myself—my mood doesn't matter to Him—whether I’m joy filled or broken. He is just thrilled to see me, and I Him. Whether I meditate on His Word, speak to Him about all that is on my mind and in my heart or just sit there and soak Him in—He doesn't care. My presence and my faithfulness is what touches Christ’s heart and He can’t help but pour His love and peace upon me.

     Being filled with Christ’s peace, as you spend time with Jesus in Eucharistic Adoration, will not make your life perfect. You will still have the cares and concerns…the ups and downs…the joys and struggles of everyday life…but you’ll have Someone with whom to share them. The One Person who knows you best and loves you most of all…and the best part about it…that Person is God and will fill you with all the graces that you’ll need to handle life’s challenges. You will come to cherish the time you spend with Our Lord and as your relationship deepens, so will the peace in your heart.

          I am filled with awe when I think about the humility of our God who is truly present in this great Sacrament of Love and Who waits for us to visit Him. My heart aches for Jesus when I think about the times He is alone, longing for us to come to Him. He wants to love each of us in a very special way and yet we allow life’s distractions to keep us from His Presence. Our time is often spent instead with endless activities which ultimately leave us feeling empty and depleted.

     Let us learn from the journey of great saints like Augustine and stop spending our lives searching aimlessly, trying to satisfy our deepest longings with the things of this world.

     Lasting peace is not something that can be achieved through possessions or activities. True peace comes from Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, who waits for you in the Most Blessed Sacrament.

     Come to Him and be filled!