"Peace be with you."//Luke 24:36
It may sound strange, but my most peaceful moments happen in the car. I’m talking about the tiny windows of time I have when I arrive early to pick up my sons from school or practice. I park and put my head back and close my eyes. It’s quiet, with the sounds outside dim and muffled; even if it’s a breezy day, it’s usually sun-warmed inside the car, and for five or ten minutes I am alone and basking in the warmth, just me and God, with nothing to do but sit and be.
I love those moments. Because they are “accidental,” I don’t approach them with expectations. I don’t try to turn them into anything other than a few minutes to be in God’s presence.
And that brings me peace.
We all need peace, don’t we? Life moves fast, both on a micro and macro level, and worries press in from all sides. There’s always some anxiety, big or small, humming in the background of life.
That’s why Jesus’ words are some of the most beautiful I know. “Peace be with you,” He tells His disciples (Luke 24:36). What a beautiful thing to wish someone. We wish it to our neighbors at Mass each week, and that’s a beautiful thing, too; even if we never see those people again, for a brief moment we acknowledge our mutual craving for peace. We acknowledge how good it is, and we are all united in that awareness.
So here is my hope for you, sister: that you take a few minutes today, in a car or another quiet place, to close your eyes and hold the busy, noisy world at bay. Let yourself feel the sun of God’s presence. Bask in the warmth of His love.
Peace be with you.
Bask in the warmth of His love. // Ginny MoyerClick to tweet
Ginny Kubitz Moyer is a wife and mother, high school English teacher in the SF Bay area, and BBC period drama junkie. She is the author of three books, including Taste and See: Experiencing the Goodness of God with Our Five Senses and Random MOMents of Grace: Experiencing God in the Adventures of Motherhood. She is the author of Blessed Conversations: The Seven Sacraments. Find out more about her here.
Walk With Us this Advent
Get Your Prayerful Planner
