I don’t know about you, but lately I’ve had so much to do. I have a sink full of dishes, piles of laundry, a stack of homework, long hours at work, errands to run, events to attend—just so much to do. The list seems never-ending, and I’m just so busy. Can you relate?

Do you ever ask a friend or colleague how they’re doing and they reply, “busy”? I hear people say that all the time, myself included, and the statement is often true. Our culture values busyness. We busy ourselves with this and that and everything in between (and sometimes we keep busy on social media finding out what other people are busy doing). Granted, sometimes being busy is not a choice; we may have responsibilities in our families, our neighborhoods, our communities. But sometimes we make the choice to busy, and more often than not, we choose it without realizing.

Perhaps what’s important is not how busy you are, but how you handle the busy. What are your priorities? Does your life reflect the priorities you have set in your mind? Are you too busy for prayer? Too busy for studying Scripture every day? Too busy to devote time to growing in your faith? I hate to admit how often I am caught in this place. And in those crazy seasons of life, when I finally take a moment to stop and quiet my spirit, I find I am missing something: peace. The peace of Christ.

But praise God for what we hear in the First Reading from Ephesians today: to those who were far off and to those who were near, Jesus preached peace. No matter where you are in your faith journey today, no matter where you are in your relationship with Christ, you—we—have access “in one Spirit to the Father.” He Who is Our Peace wants to give us Himself. What a beautiful gift.

Spend some time pondering the gift of Jesus’ peace. How often are you open to receiving it? Let us pray that we may be like the servants in the Gospel who are ready and waiting for the Master when He comes knocking. May our doors be unlocked and ready to swing open wide for Jesus, Who is always knocking at our hearts. Can you hear Him?

Let us be vigilant in seeking peace, dear sisters in Christ, that we may be blessed.

Elise Howe is a devoted wife and musician currently living in NYC, though she will always be a midwestern gal at heart. You can find out more about her here.