Making Peace

Happy Thanksgiving!

This is a day to be grateful for all the blessings in our lives — I know we’ve heard this since we were small children.  I do believe it is a day to be grateful for all God has given us, but also to make peace - peace with those around us, peace with God and peace in our hearts.  Ok....what? Peace with in our hearts?

There is a struggle within all of us when we want to completely and totally give our hearts to the Lord.  We want it, we desire it, but there is something that whispers in our ears to hold back. Part of it is today’s world, part is human nature — to give up total control to God is just “crazy talk.”  It’s ok to go to church once a week, say prayers at meal time (but please, not in public), and to teach our children to pray at bed time; but anything more than that — well, then you are becoming a holy roller, a Bible thumper; you are acting “ holier that thou.”

We teach our children that they should be happy within their skin, not to worry about what others will think or say about their physical appearance.  I also believe we need to teach our children to be happy within their hearts — to love and worship God without concern of how others may judge them.  That it is ok to attend Mass every day if they want (you know it’s not just for old people) and it is ok to consider a vocation in the Church.

Tuning the world out and making peace within our hearts is needed before we can completely give our lives to the Lord.  This year, I am grateful for my God, for his love and his mercy.  Truly, I ask, what more could we want?