Have you ever been on a lake during a severe thunderstorm? I have, and it can be terrifying. Yet as the wind and waves rage, just below the surface, the storm has no effect, and all is calm. That's what the peace of Jesus is like. It's not the absence of life's storms or troubles, but a profound calmness amid them.

Just before His death, Jesus comforted His disciples with the soothing words from this well-known passage. He wasn't saying their lives would be tranquil or calm. They were about to face many storms and trials, but Jesus' divine peace would sustain them.

Friends, Jesus offers us the same peace, but we must choose to accept it. We will all experience doubts, worry, and turmoil during life's storms. Yet, we don't have to cling to those feelings. We can accept Jesus' offer of divine peace, which transcends all understanding.

To experience that peace, we must develop a personal relationship with Him. The more we know, trust, and obey Him, the greater our peace will be in the storms of life.

If you haven't done so yet, invite the Prince of Peace into your boat and allow His divine peace to wash over you!

Onward and Upward + Fr. Greg