Pastor’s Corner

Interior Peace and Apostolic Fruitfulness

This search for interior peace could seem quite egotistical to some people.  How then can we propose this as one of the principal goals of our efforts, when there is so much suffering and misery in the world?

To this we must first reply that the peace of which we speak is that of the Gospels; it has nothing to do with any type of impassivity, extinction of sensitivity, cold indifference or being wrapped up in oneself, of which the teachings of Buddha or certain tenets of yoga may give us an image. On the contrary, as we will see later, it is the necessary corollary of love, of a true sensitivity to the sufferings of others and of an authentic compassion. Because only this peace of heart truly liberates us from ourselves, increases our sensitivity to others and renders us available to our fellow man.

We should add that only one who possesses this interior peace can efficaciously help his neighbor. How can I communicate this peace to others, if I myself do not have it? How can there be peace in families, in societies, between individual people, if there is no peace first in peoples’ hearts?

“Acquire interior peace and a multitude will find its salvation through you,” said Saint Seraphim of Sarov. To acquire this interior peace, he strove to live for many years with conversion of heart and incessant prayer. Sixteen years a monk, sixteen years a hermit, then sixteen years enclosed in a cell, he did not begin to bloom visibly until forty-eight years after having given his life to the Lord. But, then, what fruit he produced! Thousands of pilgrims who came to him left comforted, delivered from their doubts and anxieties, enlightened in their vocations and healed in their bodies and souls.

This saying of Saint Seraphim simply gives witness to his own personal experience, which is similar to that of so many other saints. Acquiring and maintaining interior peace, which is impossible without prayer, should consequently be considered a priority for everybody, above all for those who claim to want to do good for their neighbor. Otherwise, more often than not they would simply be communicating their own restlessness and distress.

Source: Extract from Searching for and Maintaining Peace by Fr. Jacques Philippe