By Mary Stadnyk, Associate Editor
Describing peace as a “gift that every human heart longs for,” Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., addressed the topic during a recent Lent talk, suggesting ways that people can experience peace in their lives.
PHOTO GALLERY: Soup & Scripture in Burlco
The Bishop spoke at a Lenten Soup & Scripture gathering Feb. 25, which brought together parishioners from three Northern Burlington County parishes – St. Katharine Drexel, Burlington; Corpus Christi, Willingboro; and Mary, Mother of the Church, Bordentown.
Bishop O’Connell said he was not referring to the “fragile peace the world offers, which depends on circumstances, health, finances or the behavior of others.”
“I mean the deep, steady, unshakable peace that Christ promises,” he said.
“Lent is the perfect time to rediscover that peace.”
Weathering storms
The Bishop pointed to the pathways of peace, explaining that it begins in the heart, grows through mercy, brings about strength and is shared, leading to eternal life.
He referred to a line from Pope Leo XIV: “Peace is not the silence of life’s storms, but the certainty that Christ stands in the boat with you.”
“Many of you have weathered storms” whether it was illness, loss, family struggles, the aches and uncertainties of aging, the Bishop said. “Yet you are still here, still faithful, still praying. That is the peace of Christ at work.”
The Bishop said peace “cannot take root in a heart cluttered with old resentments, regrets or unspoken hurts.”
Forgiveness is another way to achieve peace, he said.
“Forgiveness is not easy, especially when wounds go back decades,” he said, “but forgiveness is not about pretending nothing happened.”
Bishop O’Connell acknowledged that culture often treats peace as passive and perceives peaceful people as being quiet or timid. But the Gospel, he said, shows that peace is a form of courage.
“Jesus was at peace even when facing the Cross. Mary was at peace even when she did not understand God’s plan. The saints were at peace even when the world opposed them,” he said.
The Bishop told the gathering that peace can come from living one’s life with a calm presence, steady faith and years of prayer.
“Peace is never meant to be kept to ourselves,” the Bishop said. “Every smile, every patient word, every act of kindness is a seed of peace planted in someone else’s life.”
David McGuinnes of Corpus Christi Parish said he has found inner peace by becoming more involved in his parish. He also was inspired by the Bishop’s call to seek peace “in whatever circumstance or situation we find ourselves.”
“I find that peace in knowing that no matter what is happening around me, God is present,” McGuinnes said.
Tony Goralski of St. Katharine Drexel Parish and grand knight of the Burlington Council, Knights of Columbus, said the Bishop’s talk prompted him to think about the concept of peace of mind, heart and soul.
“I am trying to obtain that triumvirate of peace during Lent,” he said.
Echoing Bishop’s presentation of “peace as a gift,” Goralski said, “What better way to exemplify our Catholic faith than through giving peace?” he said. “We, as Catholics, cannot be passive; we need to be active and display our faith to help grow our churches. Giving peace as a gift to others is a wonderful tactic to do that.”
