3rd Fruit: Peace

We continue our mini-meditations on the Fruits of the Holy Spirit. Saint Paul’s letter to the Galatians lists nine of them: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility, and self-control. The Catechism of the Catholic Church, drawing on other biblical teachings, include four additional fruits: generosity, gentleness, modesty and chastity. (CCC #1832) The added four emphasize aspects of the original nine; generosity, for example, would likely be included in teachings on love, gentleness with kindness, and chastity and modesty with self-control.

An easy way to understand the fruits of the Spirit are to think of them as seeds of habits that we will need to live in heaven. The Holy Spirit plants them inside us, and if we tend to them like we would any plant or tree, they will grow and produce fruit, the spiritual kind.

We will follow the traditional lectio divina prayer form: reading, meditation, talk (pray), and contemplation.

READ the commentary and passage.

PEACE is lack of conflict with God, others, and with ourselves. It’s feeling safe and secure physically, mentally and spiritually. It’s an inner tranquility that comes from being in harmony with God and with others. Christians know PEACE is possible even when our circumstances are troubled. Like the seeds of a strawberry, there are many thoughts and actions that bring PEACE.

As a mother, I distinctly remember the PEACE I felt when my five year old son–who suddenly was not at my side in an amusement park arcade–was found. Our seperation lasted less than a minute but my heart registered it as a decade. I’ll never forget that gush of PEACE.

As a Catholic, I vividly remember the PEACE that filled me when I received absolution in Confession after I mistakenly thought the priest said he would not give me absolution. I’ll never forget that moment of separation and the PEACE of reunion with God either.

As a citizen of the world, I feel PEACE when I think about, interact with, and talk about others as I would want others to think about, interact with, and talk about me. It’s what God requires of the Body of Christ, It’s a step towards loving as Jesus loved.

As an individual, I feel PEACE when I trust God to provide and protect me; to help me prosper without self-loathing, guilt or anger for how He made me. And I feel PEACE when I can help others do the same for themselves, my actions guided by the worship of God, not war-ships of governments defining it in actions which serve their own interests.

[Jesus said] Peace is what I leave with you; it is my own peace that I give you. I do not give it as the world does. Do not be worried and upset; do not be afraid.   (John 14:27)

READ it a second time and notice what word, phrase, image, or emotion stuck out to you.

MEDITATE: Read the passage a third time. Then pause and ponder. What message does God seem to be sending you? Is He addressing your relationship with Him or with others? Is He advising you, or challenging you, or comforting you?

PRAY: Read the passage again. What is your response to God? What do you want to tell Him? How you feel? That you are sorry? Grateful? Worried? Thankful? Take the time to say all you have to say. Make it an honest prayer.

CONTEMPLATE: Read the passage one more time. Then sit quietly in God’s presence.

Thank you for praying with us. Please feel welcome to leave comments. You never know when someone will benefit greatly from what you say and your particular way of saying it. I’m praying for you.