Post-feast of the Entrance of the Mother of God; the Holy Apostle Philemon and those with him.
Nativity Fast.
2 Thessalonians 1:10-2:2; Luke 12:42-48
Read 2 Thessalonians 1:10-2:2
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory forever!
St. Seraphim of Sarov, a great 19th-century starets (elder), famously said, “Acquire inner peace and thousands around you will be saved.” Inner peace is one of those individual states that are attractive to the observer for what the observer sees is someone who, no matter what occurs, does not become troubled or shaken to the extent that inner peace is lost or broken.
In this past pandemic, at various times, we may have had shaken our inner peace. Many of the ways we had to adapt to the pandemic circumstances may have troubled us or shaken this inner peace. The instability in many sectors around the post-pandemic world today may also lead to having our inner peace disturbed.
Just as St. Paul implores the Thessalonians to not be shaken or troubled by those who falsely claim that the Lord has returned, he implores us to not be shaken or troubled by the circumstances of our lives and of the world we live in. Rather, we should place our hope and trust in God, not allowing the circumstances to dictate our inner peace. Rather, our inner peace should remind us that God can turn any circumstance or challenge into an opportunity for further love for and trust in Him.