Where Beautiful Gardens Grow
A Change of Heart
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When Christ appeared to His disciples after He rose from the dead, He said “Peace be with you.” More than just a salutation, Christ’s peace was and is a gift of salvation. However, such peace can only come with a change of heart.
Certainly, we are not at peace when our hearts are troubled. So troubled were the disciples in the days following Christ’s crucifixion that they shut themselves away in fear. “Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and side” [John 20:19, 20]. The disciples rejoiced.
Inner Peace
With this change of heart, the disciples were able to receive the Holy Spirit and carry on with Christ’s mission. They spread the Word of God because the Word of God was alive in them. With God’s Word comes freedom from sin for the sake of our salvation, bringing a true inner peace that only God can provide.
We too can know this true peace when we allow the Word of God to come alive in each of us. However, so many of us tend to close ourselves off, perhaps not completely, but enough to allow fear, doubts, and worries block the greatness of God’s saving love from thriving within us. Maybe we are afraid to experience the fullness of God’s love; we may not want the responsibility of sharing it; or maybe we do not believe that God’s grace can carry us through our suffering.
Queen of Peace
Let us turn to our Blessed Mother for guidance. Mary, who was all human, never needed a change of heart because she was free from temptations and sin. Mary also believed that what was spoken to her by the Lord--the Word of God--would be fulfilled. Receptive to God’s blessings, Mary was able to accept God’s love within her which was made manifest in her Son Jesus Christ, our Savior and the Prince of Peace.
True, Mary suffered greatly when she saw her Son die on the cross, but she never closed off herself off from God. Committed to her Son’s work of our redemption and by the grace of God, Mary was able to endure her heartbreak. Where would we be if in that moment at the foot of her Son’s cross, Mary had a change of heart—if Mary allowed her heart to harden?
Harden not your Heart
Let our own hearts not be troubled. Mary, the Queen of Peace, draws us to her Son who, through His life, death, and resurrection, reconciled us with our Almighty Father. With the graces and blessings of our Lord and with Mary’s maternal guidance, the greatness of God’s love will prevail in our hearts even in our suffering. Then we too can spread the Word of God--the love of God—for the sake of peace in our times. May the peace of our Lord be with us always. Amen.
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About the Author
For 15 years, Carol has been the writer/editor of Journey to Our Lady, a spiritual publication that helps readers seek out a closer relationship to our Blessed Mother, who draws the faithful closer to the Holy Trinity. From her Journey, Carol has authored the prayer book, Heavenly Mother Help Me; Prayers, Poetry and Prose for Daily Living, as a companion for individuals trying to live their faith every day.
Carol is an independent writer and speaker. Her article on Marian devotions is featured in the May 2017 issue of Catholic Update and Liguorian magazine.
Carol’s spiritual reflections, poetry, and prayers can be found on her web site: www.journeytoourlady.com and on Twitter: Carol Monaco @journey2ourlady.
Carol also is a member of the World Apostolate of Fatima (USA) and a member of Association Jeanne Jugan, a Catholic lay organization that provides individuals with an opportunity to share in the spirituality of the Little Sisters of the Poor.
