Tuesday, December 12th:
As we weave our way through this second week of Advent, where do you find peace? Jesus promises to give us His peace in John 14:27. When we come to know peace with God, we will finally know peace within the deepest recesses of our own beings, and only then, can we bring peace to all around us!
Energizing Visions
Are the great visions of the ultimate peace among all people and the ultimate harmony of all creation just utopian fairy tales? No, they are not! They correspond to the deepest longings of the human heart and point to the truth waiting to be revealed beyond all lies and deceptions. These visions nurture our souls and strengthen our hearts. They offer us hope when we are close to despair, courage when we are tempted to give up on life, and trust when suspicion seems the more logical attitude. Without these visions our deepest aspirations, which give us the energy to overcome great obstacles and painful setbacks, will be dulled and our lives will become flat, boring, and finally destructive. Our visions enable us to live the full life.
Henri Nouwen
For further reflection…
“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.” – Hebrews 10: 23 (NIV)