Acts 14:19-28 / John 14:27-31
Blessed Charles de Foucauld (1858-1916) was a French army officer in Algeria and Tunisia during the era of the French colonial expansionism in North Africa.
But he later left the army to live alone in the vast N. African desert, where he once had his military expeditions.
He wanted to find peace and strangely enough he found peace in that vast barren land.
He then hoped to spread that peace to those he met in that place.
On his clothes he drew an image of a heart with a cross on it.
When the locals asked him what it meant, he explained to them the difference between a restless heart and a peaceful heart; he spoke of a peace that the world cannot give, a peace that can only be found in Jesus.
And they seemed to understand what he was talking about.
One of the fruits of the peace that Jesus gives is a heart that is freed from fear and worry and anxiety.
In the 1st reading we heard how Paul and Barnabas went on their missionary journeys and they put fresh hearts into the disciples, encouraging them to persevere in the faith.
So although they experienced many hardships, with Paul being stoned etc., their hearts were at peace.
We too have our share of hardships. But we too can have hearts of peace in the face of hardships.
We don't have to go to the desert to find peace. Jesus has already given us His peace.
We only need to live our lives with the peace that is already in our hearts.