“Be at peace with one another,” Jesus teaches. We’d like to be, of course, but that is often hard for us to accomplish. Those closest to us know how to push our buttons, and we lose our peace in our instant reaction to them. We attend a political meeting, and our peace flies out the window as our blood boils at the outrageousness of our opponents’ positions. The family gets together for the holidays with expectations of happiness and joy, but peace disappears as old emotional baggage rises up in first one and then another. We go to church on Sunday morning expecting to find peace, and no sooner than we get there, something happens to destroy our peace. We can’t even be at peace with ourselves as we let worry, anxiety, fear rule our minds and hearts. And so it goes so long as we try to generate a peaceful spirit on our own. We know that Jesus says, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,” (Mt.5:44) but it just seems impossible.

Jesus reminds us, however, that ”What is impossible for mortals is possible for God.” (Lk.18:27) There is our answer! If we want to be at peace with one another, we have to focus on our relationship with God, being willing to accept God’s healing, transforming grace in our lives. As we allow ourselves to be changed more and more into the imago dei, the likeness of God we were created to be, we will come to know peace, to experience the peace of God deep within. As the apostle Paul tells us, “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:7) Elsewhere he points out that as we come to live by the Spirit of God, the fruit of the Holy Spirit’s work will become manifest in us: “Love, joy, PEACE, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” (Gal.5:22)