Attempts to Unseat Peace

Is it the devil who is trying to unseat the peace, or is it God who is trying the hermit in order to strengthen the peace bequeathed?

The hermit prefers to ponder God's love: that God is strengthening the hermit in cooperation with the peace bequeathed--a peace that seems impervious to other than peace.

Other than peace comes in varying degrees and packages. The hermit was to travel to a nearby city to spend the night and celebrate a holiday with others. Two hours prior to departure, the hermit worshipped at noon Mass. After, the hermit noticed the window of the car bashed in--glass shards covering the interior, rain down-pouring.

It would be two days until the window would arrive for replacement; the hermit has an older car which required a special order. The travel plans were canceled. It took over an hour, later that evening, to vacuum the glass and tape plastic over the open space so the hermit could get to morning Mass. The car seats are yet drying out.

Others thought this a sorrowful calamity; the hermit thought not. It was peace and God's gift of His will for no travel and days of silence and holy rest--not just for the hermit but for the ones to be visited who live busy lives. The hermit was sorry that the ones breaking into the car only got a pocketbook with partially used tissues and a pill box with two aspirin. Why would anyone leave a pocketbook with valuables in a car? The vandals did not consider this.

The event offered a pleasant encounter with the insurance agent as well as with the police as well as with the workers at the glass replacement shop. The hermit also was able to worship at the Mass the next morning at which the Bishop and Rector concelebrated. And the hermit appreciated a lovely conversation with those to have been visited.

There have been interior dealings which hitherto would have caused disruption of peace; but the peace endures. One such thorn is the editing of a novel a recent assignee has written. The hermit has not read fiction in years and would consider, perhaps, fiction by Mauriac or Bernanos, by O'Connor or Undset. But there are so many delectible spiritual books, non-fiction, for benefit. This novel is prayer and penance in the reading: the subject matter is nothing the hermit would read nor advise others to read unless, perhaps, they had the particular problem of same-sex attraction. Yet it is a good first-write, and it is an excellent catharsis for this person who is just now, mid-life, facing some deep issues.

The hermit considers love in regard to: love dealeth not perversely; love rejoiceth not in inequity but rejoiceth in truth. The hermit recognized that the reading and editing of this novel toyed with disrupting the peace; but as prayer for those with same-sex struggles, the hermit will complete the task. It is the prayer, the love for souls seeking truth, praying that they seek truth and find it, which will sustain this temporal task.

Nothing of earth is worth disruption of peace bequeathed by God. And nothing of Heaven will disrupt that peace. The devil may try, but love conquers all evil. Love rejoiceth in truth.

Is peace quite close to love? Jesus said, "My peace I bequeath to you." Is peace a facet of love, or is peace union with love as a soul by grace is in union with Christ?