Second Week of Advent - Peace

“Mankind will not have peace until it turns with trust to My mercy” were the profound words uttered to Saint Faustina by Jesus Christ.

As we enter into this second week of Advent, Mother Church invites us to search for true peace. Peace (as in an inner conviction that is independent of circumstances) is only possible with, in and through growing, consistent and undivided trust in God. The question of trust has been posed to mankind from the start of creation up till today. God always wants us to place our trust in Him, that amidst all that Is happening – known and unknown, seen and unseen, understood and not understood – He is making all things work together for our good. Only with such conviction, can we have peace in our lives, peace that prevails through the ups and downs.

Once again, to be at peace with God, one’s self and others, trust is essential. The Catechism defines sin simply as mankind letting trust in His Creator die in his heart. Sinning means distorting our relationship with God, peace with God is lost in the process and hence, with one’s self and others as well. As mentioned earlier, God poses a question of trust to us. Do we trust Him increasingly, consistently and in an undivided manner to see to all our needs, to be our all in all? Do we trust Him when the oceans rise and thunders roar? Do we trust Him even when it hurts? Do we trust Him to dispose of all that we have for everything truly belongs to Him? God wants to be Lord and Master of every aspect of our lives!

God truly wants to be Lord and Saviour of every moment, phase and aspect of our live. This is precisely why the Word of God was made incarnate. This is precisely why God sent his only begotten Son. Jesus came into this world as a helpless babe in the womb of Mary, he was born in a manger all forlorn, he had went through the growing process of humans like all of us do. He went through our struggles. He had hurt just like us. He was 100% human and he was so because He wanted to be Lord and Saviour of every moment, phase and aspect of our lives. He wants to save us in the smallest of matters because it all counts! He cannot bear spending a moment without you now and even more, without you for eternity. He wants you, He seeks you and He wants to save you.

If God wanted to merely save us for the next life, and not the current life, there would have been no need for Him to come to the world as a baby and to go through the whole human growing process. He would have just come down like Thor to get the job done. Jesus is interested in us through and through. Can we rest peacefully in the blessed assurance and certainty that the One who came to Earth to save us will see us through each day, each week, each month and each year? Do we trust in Him? It is in the name of Jesus Christ that we find hope and we find peace. He has got us. He truly has.

We really need to let go and let God. Jesus has to be the centre of every aspect of our lives. For example, the Paul at church has to be the same Paul in his house, at school, out with his friends, in all his relationships, conversations, encounters. Every aspect of our live has to be consistent so as to be in harmony. We have to glorify God in all we are and all we do. By doing so, by being in harmony with every aspect of our lives, we can be at peace. Let us not compartmentalize our trust in Jesus and hence the peace that He wills to bestow upon us.

At every Mass, we hear the words of the priest “Lord Jesus Christ, you said to your apostles: peace I leave you my peace I give you. Look not on our sins but on the faith of your church, and grant us the peace and unity of your kingdom where you live for ever and ever.” This is uttered right before the congregation is invited to give each other the sign of peace. We beg for mercy by asking the Lord to not look on our sins but on the faith of your church. Mercy can be defined as God not giving us what we deserve, that is, punishment for our sins.

The good news is that He is indeed Merciful and as we recall, Saint Faustina was told by Jesus that “Mankind will not have peace until it turns with trust to My mercy” The words uttered by the priest is truly a proclamation of this promise and is inviting us to trust in His Mercy. Since we can turn to His Mercy, we can be at peace after considering such blessed assurance. The focus is turned to the Faith of the Church which is therefore, a pre-requisite to the peace of Christ. We have to be obedient to Mother Church which Jesus Himself founded, in and through which we find the channels and rays of His Mercy in order to receive the gift of peace and hence, extend it to others. Ultimately, the Church is the channel for true peace.

In order to translate all the facts above into an actual experience of His peace, we need the Helper. The Spirit overshadowed our Lady, and she conceived. May the Holy Spirit overshadow us and grant us peace and unity in accordance with His will. May we experience peace as we welcome the birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ this Christmas. Whenever we are faced with doubt , may we be able to say "Jesus we trust in you, Jesus we trust in you, Jesus we trust in you.." and find peace in and through His Mercy.