Peace is a recurring theme in the messages and invitations of Our Lady. Peace does not come by itself. It is the fruit of work, effort and struggle against one’s own faults and passions. If we are persistent in this struggle, God does not abandon us and leave us to ourselves. In The Imitation of Christ by Thomas à Kempis, Book One, The Eleventh Chapter, we read: „We should enjoy much peace if we did not concern ourselves with what others say and do, for these are no concern of ours. How can a man who meddles in affairs not his own, who seeks strange distractions, and who is little or seldom inwardly recollected, live long in peace? Blessed are the simple of heart for they shall enjoy peace in abundance. Why were some of the saints so perfect and so given to contemplation? Because they tried to mortify entirely in themselves all earthly desires, and thus they were able to attach themselves to God with all their heart and freely to concentrate their innermost thoughts. We are too occupied with our own whims and fancies, too taken up with passing things. Rarely do we completely conquer even one vice, and we are not inflamed with the desire to improve ourselves day by day; hence, we remain cold and indifferent.“

            Many a time we cry out and long for peace of mind, but we do very little to attain it. In today’s world, our peace is most often taken away by our worries, pressing responsibilities, hustle and bustle, social networks and our addiction to them. And the result is distraction. It is as if a person finds himself in a dead-end situation and distracted. He finds himself at the place where he does not know what to do. And to this all contributes our weaknesses and we feel prayer as something difficult and exhausting, because prayer is a struggle, a wrestling with God and with our weaknesses, lukewarmness and laziness.

            Prayer can be compared to climbing a mountain. When we climb to the top, we quickly forget all the struggle and effort as we enjoy the beauty of nature and the magnificence of the view that the mountain presents to us.

            But if we don’t have time for God and don’t allow him to come to us, doesn’t that mean that we don’t truly and wholeheartedly love him? And we cannot love God if we do not seek to know him with all our heart. We can so clutter our souls and hearts with all kinds of things that there is no room for God or for ourselves. And the result is restlessness, emptiness, anxiety and fear. We cannot deceive the heart. It knows who its author is.

            Our Lady constantly encourages us to remain faithful to prayer, that is, faithful to love. Only through prayer we can renew our relationship with God, and only then can God give harmony and peace to us, to our families and to the whole world.

            God is never tired of listening to our prayers and cries. God can hear and answer our prayer if we are ready to align our lives with his will and fight against our disordered inclinations. Prayer helps us to expose ourselves and come before the Lord with all our misery and pain, but also with the good things and gifts we have received from him. Prayer brings us to the truth about ourselves before God, and only the truth can set us free and bring us to the peace that God wants and desires to give us.

Let us pray:

            Our Lady, Queen of Peace, God has sent you and is sending you to us out of love to call us to the way that leads to the fullness of life. You, Our Lady, have walked our paths, you have experienced our pains and crosses, but you also know God’s omnipotence and grace. Thank you for not growing weary with us. In a special way, we give ourselves to you, but also, we give you all those who do not find the peace that only God gives. With your motherly heart, look upon those hearts in which hatred, war and killing are born. Intercede for all those who suffer the consequences of evil, wars and killing. To your motherly intercession we entrust all families where there is a lack of peace, respect and love. and in a special way we pray to you for the children who are suffering because of the selfishness of the elders. Amen.