Inner Peace

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inner peace, Jesus, peace of heart, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, truth

Surely my most important insight today (amazing at 6:33AM) will be something that I have known for a long time but now makes more sense and came from a familiar verse from John’s gospel this morning. Jesus is getting ready for his final “goodbye” to his friends and leaves them with this message: Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.

What is clearer than ever for me this morning is that Jesus is talking about inner peace – peace of heart, we would call it, so that no matter what’s going on outside of us, the inside can remain hopeful and loving and kind because God remains steadfast in us. Disturbing events in the world around us are real but cannot shake our knowing of that truth.

I feel as if I have taken a further step into the deep waters of truth that will allow me more peace in the everyday recognition of troubling events. If I can remember to live from my heart where peace abides in God, I can face external events with equanimity. Perhaps it sounds strange to say that this is a new knowing for me. I certainly should be familiar with this teaching by now in my life, shouldn’t I? Well, of course! I have known those words of Jesus for decades but the world has become more complex, more challenging so I needed wider eyes and clearer recognition of the great gift of inner peace where we can meet each other and become that peace. Are you there as well?

One Liner

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breathe, guest of honor, inner peace, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, wellness

I found this well-said prompt toward wellness in a source called Breathe (www.breathethemagazine.co.uk). See what you think:

“Whether you’re working, resting or playing, treating yourself like the guest of honor in your own life will lead towards inner peace.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Vision

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hope, inner peace, potential, prayer, seeker, spiritual path, taize, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, wisdom work

For those of you reading this message who have no other connection to the Sophia Center for Spirituality than the blog, whether because of distance or focused interest, I would like to take this opportunity to invite you to join us in our end-of-year fundraising campaign. Please take time to read the letter below and consider a donation. It is my privilege to write nearly every day and I am grateful to know that people far and wide are sharing in this on-going project. We hope to continue all the work of the Sophia Center into the future. Your gift will help to make this a reality. Thank you!

Dear Friends near and far,

As we approach the end of our third full year of existence here at The Sophia Center for Spirituality, I continue to give thanks for all the blessings that have come to us as we endeavor to serve people who are seeking ways to deepen their spiritual lives. To those who have come along on this journey we have offered quiet retreats, bi-monthly centering prayer sessions, Taizé chanting once a month, exploration of the tenets of other faith traditions and tapping into the deeper side of Christianity at a Wisdom School. All of these and more have become part of our programming for the people of our region of Central New York and beyond.

Helen Daly had a vision for the spread of “Wisdom Work” in its many forms in wider and wider circles. A generous grant from her estate has enabled us to continue the mission of the Sophia Center. As is always true, however, organizations such as ours cannot continue to function indefinitely from of one source of funding. It is time for us now to give others the privilege of joining in the effort to raise the consciousness of all people to unity in diversity. This goal of ours is becoming more urgent as it is seen in stark contrast to world events and personal tragedies that seem to escalate with the passing of each day. A spiritual path can open the door to wisdom leading the seeker to hope, to trust in potential, and to inner peace. This we believe. This we strive to achieve together. Won’t you join us?

With sincere gratitude,
Sister Lois A. Barton, CSJ
Program Director, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

(We are grateful for your donation which is tax deductible. Go to our website’s donation link via Paypal (click HERE), or send your check payable to The Sophia Center for Spirituality at 30 Main St, Binghamton, NY 13905.)

Called and Gifted

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Ephesians, God in the heart of everything, humility, inner peace, love ourselves, patience, Paul, Peace, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, universal call to holiness, virtues

Paul is at it again this morning in his preaching to the Ephesians urging them on “to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love, striving to preserve the bond of peace…”

I find it interesting that, in speaking of “call” (vocation) to the people of Ephesus, Paul doesn’t talk about being a good merchant or preacher, a good sheep herder or high priest. He speaks rather of the universal call to holiness that is achieved by each of us  in developing the essential virtues listed above. In our turbulent, hectic world there is little more important than work toward inner and worldwide peace, the achievement of which will come only when we learn to love ourselves and each other as we are, seeing God at the heart of everything. First we need to believe that it can be done.

I suggest we start with patience…