September 29 was World Heart Day. A well-known cardiac surgeon shared seven tips for a healthy heart in a national newspaper. These tips included preventive check-ups, quitting smoking, reducing carbohydrate consumption, etc. But his last tip was different from the rest.
“…my last advice to all of you, become spiritual. I am not saying you should become religious; become spiritual because knowing that somebody is up there protecting us, making sure that everything is done the way it should be, has a very, very, very positive force in your life”, the doctor said.
The words “knowing that somebody is up there protecting us” sound like an abstract idea or even human imagination to some people, at least. In fact, the surgeon’s words point to a more profound and absolute truth. We all need peace. A peaceful heart is proven to be a remedial medicine not only for cardiac diseases but for many other human ailments.
A common notion of peace is the mere absence of fighting or strife. But peace has a much deeper and richer connotation. A peaceful heart is a quiet heart—a heart of rest, satisfaction, and inner tranquility. The world is full of restlessness. In fact, man's incessant pursuit of pleasure is a manifestation of his restless heart.
Peace can be perceived in three dimensions: peace towards God your Creator, peace within yourself, and peace with others.
Peace comes with a deep-rooted faith that never doubts the empathetic presence of God with us. But how can this be possible? All men are sinners. Since God is holy, it is not in God’s nature to accept or have fellowship with sin. Therefore, sin caused the peace with God to be broken. God is forced out of man’s life, and in his heart, instead of God, his own 'self' has taken over. Man thinks of himself as the center of the universe and his happiness as the supreme thing. And this selfishness causes the wrong attitude towards other people.
Thus, sin has destroyed or seriously affected all three dimensions of peace. Can man restore what’s been lost and broken? A look around us will give us the answer!
“He is our peace"—these were the words of Paul, the disciple of Jesus Christ, about Him, recorded in the Bible. He further explained - “God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them." Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, was sent into the world to take away our sins by His death on the cross, therefore making it possible for us to be at peace—at peace with God, at peace within ourselves, and at peace with each other.
Augustine, the saint who lived in the 4th century, said: “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You."
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