Peace ~ Part One of Two
May 18, 2025
Jesus Christ: Yesterday, Today, and Forever~
The election of Pope Leo has me reflecting on many things. One of those is the anxiety that many of us felt without a pope, and even more anxiety over who the next pope would be. Why is that?
Of the 266 popes in our long history, it wasn’t until 167 years ago that we were aware of the death of a pope in something close to real time. From roughly 66AD when St. Peter died, to 1858AD when a transatlantic cable had been laid across the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, it took weeks (or more) for news from Europe to reach the Eastern USA. To reach the West Coast of North America, when that even became possible, took additional weeks of horseback riding. By the time we heard the news of a pope’s death, a new one would have already been elected. The entire news cycle surrounding the death of a pope and the election of a new one would have been anxiety-free.
The reason for many people’s anxiety over the election of the pope had to do with people’s desire to see the kind of pope they wanted and not the kind they didn’t want. Everyone wants a good pope; we part company when we define what that means. Which is to say, there is a great deal of division in the Church about what the truth of our faith is and how we should live it. This isn’t something that can be honestly ignored or trivialized. Yet, there isn’t anything we can do to have our convictions prevail in the Church and the world but one—to be holy. Holiness does in fact change the Church and the world for the better. Worrying doesn’t.
Yet, there is a palpable anxiety that goes far beyond the Church. There is a heightened level of anxiety about the well-being and stability of civilization, as if it is all about to fall apart. A sense that something big and bad is coming that we can’t stop has been building for decades. We see this in presidential elections where a majority of Americans now feel that the success of their candidate or political party is essential to the survival of America. That was simply not the majority’s attitude 70 years ago. The obsession with news and politics is another sign of this foreboding. The world seeks its salvation in politics. We seek it in Christ, where it belongs. We do not need to be up to speed on world, national, or even local news on a daily basis (honestly, not even weekly). Yet, because of the internet in our hands, human compulsiveness, and our elevated anxiety, most Americans are up to speed throughout the day. That means that our anxiety levels are up to speed throughout the day too.
Our Lord wants us to be free of anxiety, for He is the “Prince of peace” (Is. 9:6) He says, “Look at the birds of the sky. They do not sow or reap or gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them . . . Can any of you, for all this worrying, add a day to your life?” (Mt. 6:26-7). “So do not worry… Set your hearts on His (the Father’s) Kingdom first, and on his righteousness, and all these other things will be given you as well” (Mt. 6:31a, 33).
For peace to reign in our lives we need to have our priorities straight: God first, family second, then everything else. That involves doing things to fulfill those priorities in their proper order, and not doing things that prevent us from fulfilling those responsibilities in their proper order. We can have peace, but only in the divine Person of Jesus Christ and His priorities.
A nod to prayer and spiritual reading: Jesus tells us to pray always. I find that my life has more peace and clarity when I’m living a life a daily prayer and spiritual reading. Please establish prayer in your life, if not for God, then for you. Like all good things, it takes discipline and time yet the fruit of it overtime is immeasurable. In the times to come, it may be the only light in your life that doesn’t go out. Grow it now.
Here is a list on overcoming oneself and growing in Christ (you’ll sometimes see it attributed to C.S. Lewis, but we’re not sure he wrote it). I find it very helpful.
7 Things I Quit to Ensure Growth in Christ [and His Peace]
1. I quit pouring my time into things that add zero value to my life. [Quit anything that doesn’t feed your spirit, like TV, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, news, or entertainment of any sort that sucks the life out of you.]
2. I quit hanging out with the wrong kind of people. [Bad company equals lack of spiritual growth. St. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:33, “Do not be deceived; bad company corrupts good morals.”]
3. I quit criticizing and judging people. [Stop accusing, stop the gossip and take responsibility for your mouth.]
4. I quit magnifying what is going wrong in the world. [Stop looking online for the latest scuttlebutt; Jesus wants you to spend more time with Him and not to worry about the world’s problems…you can either magnify the problem or magnify God!]
5. I quit overdoing it. [A balanced life . . . less time with the world and more time with your family and God!]
6. I quit pleasing people. [The people you are constantly pleasing become number one in your life instead of the Lord. If your goal is to please everyone, you will fail to please God. If you are holy, some people are not going to like you, but . . . they can’t save you either!]
7. I quit overthinking. [Stop overthinking everything because you will get stuck in the midst of your problems and will find it harder to hear God . . . you will doubt and give up!]
From the breastplate of St. Patrick for Our Lord’s presence, and the peace that comes from it.
Christ with me,
Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ in me,
Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ on my right,
Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down,
Christ when I sit down,
Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.
Next week I’ll write about preparing for the difficult things to come without losing your peace. Being prepared creates clarity and allows for peace.
In Christ, I Love You,
May the Risen Christ Bless You,
Father Thomas Nathe
