In the last month, I’ve been listening, once again, to podcasts by a dear archpriest who reposed a few years ago. He had several years of podcasts before his repose, and I listened to every one of them and am going through many of them again. His name was/is Fr. Tom Hopko.
I found epiphanies, discoveries, spiritual nourishment, and comfort in his talks.
Last week, I caught one of his talks he had done near Christmastime. He brought up the well-known saying I’ve heard all my life: Peace on Earth and good will toward men.
The first time I listened to his unpacking of that meaning was probably about 10 years ago. And anytime I read anything spiritually-centered, whether through the Scriptures or through books on the Saints, I will pick up different aspects of the verses or things said than I did in the past.
This was so for the meaning of peace on Earth and good will toward men.
This “Peace” is Christ, not the actual meaning of peace all over the Earth.
Fr. Tom explained that peace and good will is supposed to take place in the hearts of every person. They find peace through Peace = Christ. And Him only.
Because I’m one that is against wars and imperialism and the pursuing of power and money, I had been perceiving peace as an outward ability to tangibly have peace in the world through ending wars and people working through their problems diplomatically globally and through discourse within our communities.
So when I listened to what Father was saying, things clicked inside of me. Ah, I got what he meant.
Of course, I know and have known since being a practicing Orthodox Christian, that this world is broken and fallen, and there never can be real peace in this world. There cannot be any type of utopian place on Earth.
What I’ve noticed is when people are striving for that here on Earth, we may forget that the total harmony of humanity, the peace between all life, etc. is only in His Kingdom, and in that life afterward if we are blessed and through God’s mercy, we someday go there.
Pondering all that was said in that podcast, there was the thought that, well, peace within a person or many persons can bring about some peace because when one is in Christ and finds peace in Him, they emit peace toward others.
So, I have seen this in the Saints.
However, I don’t think it’s wide spread, especially in today’s spiritually dark climate.
But we can still work toward finding peace through Christ and trying to acquire it. The Holy Spirit within us helps us toward these spiritual pursuits.
Knowing this different perspective on peace, I see it as just a shifted view of what peace means. In a way, it’s a relief to me because, oddly enough, I think one striving to find this peace in and through Christ within our relationship with Him may be a much more attainable goal than “world peace”.
I say this may be “easier”, but it still feels like quite a mountain to climb. But it’s a good thing to pursue, and so I will continue to do so, no matter how many times I fail.
After all, life is about falling down and getting back up. He who endures to the end is saved, as Christ Himself says in Matthew’s Gospel.
And as Mother Gavrilia said, it’s the effort that counts.
I wish there was a way to permanently stamp those words into my brain. To remember it and have it before me always.
Everyone wants to live in peace, and knowing what that means and Who it is, I believe, helps guide us on the right path toward it.
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Modest Musings 