“What Does Peace Mean to You?” February 7, 2010

What does peace mean to you? For many, it is a sort of uneasy truce where enemies agree to cease open hostility while eyeing each other with distrust. However, that is not peace but only a cessation of open warfare. True peace is altogether different. It begins in the heart of each individual. It is a Divine spark placed there at our creation which needs to be carefully tended and nurtured until it grows into a flame that fills our entire being and flows from us to all others. It is the urge to not just listen to others but to really hear what they are saying; to find a way in which we constantly practice nonviolent communication, to see that each individual’s and each nation’s needs are met. All mindful people have a deep desire to live in harmony with all, to share in activities that nurture the well-being of all. We have the power to make that so.

 

The Divine spark lives in the heart of each of us, but it must be consciously fed and nourished if we are to achieve a world that works for everyone. As we grow in the awareness of our oneness with all life, we feel the urge to practice loving-kindness to all others. As we do, we inspire others to do the same and the world is transformed. As those who are committed to the spiritual path, we have the sacred obligation to be the leaders in the movement to make this a world in which all peoples live in peace and harmony. Let 2010 be the year in which peace reigns supreme.

 

By Catherine Carriere, RScP Emeritus