10 December, Antonio, Cardinal Bacci: Meditations For Each Day

Peace of Soul

1. Peace of soul is more to be desired than anything else in this world. Wealth, honours, and pleasures are valueless as long as we are discontented and disturbed at heart. Happiness is essentially internal, not external. Anyone who looks for it outside himself cannot find it simply because it does not exist there. Interior peace, however, is capable of bringing us whatever happiness can be obtained in this world.

We can have this peace if we avoid sin. The Holy Spirit assures us that “there is no peace to the wicked.” (Is. 48:22) Our tranquillity will be increased by humility and gentleness. A haughty and ambitious man can never be at peace. “Come to me,” Jesus invites us, “all you who labour and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart and you will find rest for your souls.” (Mt. 11:28-29)

The only way, then, by which we can acquire peace of soul is by avoiding sin, practising humility, and obeying the law of God. The Saints possessed this serenity, even in times of trial and of suffering, because they lived in God and were perfectly faithful to His law.

2. True peace consists in doing the will of God constantly and with love. When God gives us consolation and joy, we thank Him for His infinite goodness towards us. When He sends us suffering and privation, we bless and thank Him nonetheless. Let us recall the example of Job. When he had lost his children, his health, and all his possessions, and was derided by his wife and distrusted by his friends, he exclaimed in a spirit of resignation: “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord!” (Job 1:21)

All this may seem too difficult to us, but it is only on these conditions that we can obtain interior peace. By surrendering our will entirely to God in all the circumstances of our lives, we can raise ourselves above all the sorrows and vain desires of this earthly existence, and we can find in God a lasting peace and tranquillity.

3. After expounding this doctrine of interior peace, “The Imitation of Christ” goes on to say: "But never to feel any grief at all, nor to suffer any trouble of heart or body, is not the state of this present life, but of everlasting rest. Think not, therefore, that thou hast found true peace, if thou feel no burden; nor that then all is well, if thou have no adversary; nor that thou hast attained to perfection, if all things be done according to thy inclination. Neither do thou conceive a great notion of thyself, or imagine thyself to be especially beloved, if thou experience great devotion and sweetness, for it is not in such things as these that a true lover of virtue is known; nor doth the progress and perfection of a man consist in these things.'' (Bk. III, c.25)

We can see from this that peace of soul in this life is always the product of strife and sacrifice. We must pay the price if we desire to acquire it. Only when we have attained at last to everlasting happiness shall we enjoy perfect peace as the reward of our perseverance and fidelity on earth.