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~ Peace ~

January 1

Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God

“Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart.” — Luke 2:19

The events surrounding the birth of Jesus were extraordinary and Scripture tells us that “Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart.” Is it any wonder? After all, who can understand the mind of God? As the mother of Jesus, Mary chose to prayerfully reflect rather than react. This brought her great peace even in the midst of difficulties.

Our world is in turmoil often because so many people act without thinking. Sometimes we openly disagree with others because they are different from us or try to persuade people to think the way we do. Both of these impulses can disturb our peaceful relationships. Mary’s life invites us to prayerfully bring our conflicts and misunderstandings first to the Lord, trusting that God will give us his wisdom and courage to know when and how to act.

— Dr. Mary Amore

HOW DO YOU RESPOND to people and events that you don’t understand? Is your first inclination to disagree? To win people over to your side? Reflect on why you behave in this manner. Seek the wisdom of the Spirit to reflect before you speak and act.

Prayer: Mary, help me to place my difficulties and conflicts into the hands of your Son, Jesus, that he may lead and guide me to live in his peace.

January 2

“Seek peace, and pursue it.” — Psalms 34:14

When asked what they would like for Christmas, many harried mothers and fathers immediately respond, “Peace!” When beauty-pageant contestants are asked what they would work for if they won are similarly quick to answer, “World peace.” Peace is a gift of the Spirit that the hearts of humans seek at all levels.

In modern times, Mary is associated with a message of peace and tranquility in our broken world. Her message, especially as she gave it to the three children at Fátima, is one of peace for all humankind.

The peace that Mary speaks of is the peace that Jesus brings. Peace should be the goal in our dealings at work, in our encounters with family members, as well as in the world arena. Our role as Christians is to bring the peace of Christ to all people and situations.

— Lauren Nelson

WHAT SORT OF PEACE do you think Mary sought in her life? What moments of peace can you pursue today? How can you give others the gift of peace?

Prayer: Mary, be with us as we pursue peace in our lives. Help us to give peace to others through our words and actions.

January 3

“Glory to God in the highest / and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased!” — Luke 2:14

Mary gave birth to a baby boy, born on a peaceful winter’s night in a cave, in an unfamiliar city. Mary wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger.

My wife gave birth to a baby girl, born on an autumn afternoon, in a neighborhood hospital. After she was born, I wrapped her in a soft swaddling blanket. Back in those days I didn’t think much about Mary; in fact, I had abandoned my faith and was busy pursuing worldly dreams. Two months after my daughter was born, however, she needed life-threatening surgery. Fearful, I turned to Mary and to God. I surrendered my life and promised that if my baby pulled through, I would return to church. The surgery was successful and for the first time in years I felt at peace.

As a result of surrendering her life to God, Mary gave birth to the Prince of Peace. When I surrendered myself to God, the gift of peace was reborn in my soul.

— Bob Frazee

CALL TO MIND A SITUATION you can give over to the Lord in the hope of finding peace.

Prayer: Mary, pray that I may have the grace to be open to God’s plan for me. Help me to live in this world as a person of peace.

January 4

“For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” — Romans 8:38-39

These powerful words bring us a sense of peace. They reassure us that no matter what happens in this life, God will never leave us. We may forget about him, but he never leaves us to face our trials alone. Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ Jesus.

Mary had peace in her heart because she knew firsthand that the Lord would never leave her. Throughout her life, Mary experienced unfathomable difficulties, even the death of her Son. And yet, Mary stayed strong in her faith. She never lost her way; peace reigned for Mary.

When we are experiencing painful situations that test our resolve, we can reach out to Mary and seek her help in restoring our peace and increasing our faith in Jesus.

— Sheila Cusack

HOW WILL YOU TALK to Mary today and ask her to bring God’s peace to your heart? Ask Mary to be a model of peaceful living for you, knowing you are so loved by God.

Prayer: Mary, help me to know I am never separated from God, even when I walk on rocky roads.

January 5

“Be still, and know that I am God.” — Psalms 46:10

I recently attended a winter wedding in a Wisconsin bayside resort town. As we traveled the country roads, I was moved by the serenity of the winter landscape. It was stark, snowy, and peaceful. As far as the eye could see Midwestern farm country was hunkered down, quietly awaiting the return of spring. Across the fields were leafless trees, dark against a gray sky, often with a bird of prey perched on high branches. The landscape invited me to quiet solitude.

Mary’s life echoes the peaceful serenity that I experience in winter. In the Gospels, Mary is the woman of grace who willingly surrenders to God’s action in her life. She serves, prays, and suffers, yet she is at peace because God is with her.

Like Mary, I’ve learned through the years to embrace the contemplative dimension of our Christian faith that invites us to be silent and reflective. Deep interior prayer opens us to seeing God’s presence in everything. It brings us inner peace.

— Bob Frazee

CONSIDER THE WAYS that you are being called to a deeper prayer life. Set aside ten minutes today to sit in prayerful silence. Listen for the voice of God.

Prayer: Mary, help me to turn away from the busyness of life so as to enter into deep contemplative prayer with the Lord.

January 6

“And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him.” — Matthew 2:11

Ask any mother and she will tell you that birthing a child is no easy task. Like all pregnant women, Mary had to give herself to this new physical and emotional experience as it unfolded in her life. In Mary’s case, the setting for the birth of Jesus was less than ideal, for it took place in a stable surrounded by barnyard animals. But I suspect that Mary’s experience of birthing faded away to utter peace and tranquility as she gently held and caressed Jesus in her arms for the first time.

As people of faith, Mary’s life inspires us to seek God’s peace in the midst of the ordinary and hectic moments of our everyday lives. She shows us that when we give ourselves fully to God’s will, the result is peace.

— Sharon A. Abel, PhD

CONSIDER THE MANY WAYS that you might honor God each time you meet his divine presence on your spiritual journey.

Prayer: Mary, I thank God for your example of how to live in this world with a peaceful heart. Help me to look at the world today through new eyes, that I may seek and find the peaceful presence of the Christ Child.

January 7

“Great peace have those who love your law; / nothing can make them stumble.” — Psalms 119:165

When I was a parish music director, I was blessed to have my grandma’s dear friend Mabel in my choir. Mabel always did her best to honor God and always came with a cheerful disposition and a sense of peace about her. She loved the Lord! In time, Mabel lost her eyesight and dropped out of choir. Years later, I was blessed to join Mabel and her husband’s sixtieth anniversary celebration. Mabel beamed with joy. When I asked her how she was, she replied, “I’m wonderful!” That encounter made me wonder how anyone could be at peace with less than ideal circumstances.

The answer is visible in the life of Mary. Raised as a faithful Jew loving God’s law, Mary had the gift of peace. She knew the Lord’s heart, and it was a joy for Mary to make his law the hallmark of her life. No matter what hardships or stumbling blocks our Blessed Mother experienced, she remained at peace.

— Christine Grano

DO WE LOVE the law of the Lord? What might be our stumbling blocks to peace? Turn to Mary for inspiration and strength.

Prayer: Mary, intercede for us as we aspire to be like you, loving the law of the Lord that brings peace.

January 8

“Finally, brethren, rejoice. Mend your ways, heed my appeal, agree with one another, live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you.” — 2 Corinthians 13:11

In this reading, St. Paul encourages us to extend the peace of Christ to one another as brothers and sisters. In this broken world of ours, peace is not readily attainable; nor is it easily sustainable. What does peace look like for you? For our world?

While we may all have different ideas of what peace is and how it can be achieved, Mary invites us to look beyond our earthly realities. As our spiritual mother, Mary shows us how to put on the gift of the everlasting peace of Christ, obeying the commandment to love God and our neighbor.

— Lauren Nelson

THE NEXT TIME you are at Mass, focus on the kiss of peace. Truly pass on Christ’s peace by looking others in the eye and saying a prayer for them.

Prayer: Mary, help me to work for peace. Give me the strength to continue what you began.

January 9

“Do whatever he tells you.” — John 2:5

The Wedding at Cana is one of only a few Gospel stories in which we see Jesus and Mary interacting.

First-century Jewish culture placed a high value on family honor. The wedding celebration was the final step of the ritual marriage process. Running out of wine would have been more than an embarrassment; it would have been a loss of honor for both families.

Mary’s words to Jesus — “they have no wine” — display a compassionate concern for the host. Jesus’ reply, though, seems to lack any concern. Mary responds with peaceful confidence that Jesus will grant her unspoken request. She tells the servers to do whatever he tells you. In the end, they have an abundance of wine, and the host is honored for saving the best until last. Without saying much, a composed Mary quietly directs the action to its amiable resolution.

Mary’s example invites us to be at peace in our personal surrender to God’s will. It also implies that at times it may be uncomfortable to do so.

— Bob Frazee

IF YOU’RE AVOIDING something difficult in your life, pray to Mary for both courage and composure.

Prayer: Hail, Holy Queen, I pray to you for the courage to bring my needs and the needs of others to God and to peacefully accept what God has planned for me.

January 10

“You keep him in perfect peace, / whose mind is stayed on you, / because he trusts in you.” — Isaiah 26:3

Jen is a bubbly, outgoing, loving individual. I met her at the parish where her husband served as a deacon. Together, they have three beautiful children and a close extended family.

Jen’s life changed forever when her fifty-one-year-old husband died of cancer just days before their oldest daughter’s wedding. The following year, her mom died. And just about six months later, Jen’s forty-seven-year-old sister died of a heart attack, suddenly and without warning. In just two short years, Jen’s life was turned upside down. Yet, when we would talk, there was an incredible sense of peace she carried because of her deep faith in God.

Gabriel’s announcement to Mary disrupted her whole world. As a betrothed woman planning a life with Joseph, this was not what Mary thought her life would be. Yet, because of her deep faith in God, Mary was able to remain in peace as she walked a new and unfamiliar road. Mary is our inspiration to stay the course when life is not what we expect.

— Christine Grano

TAKE A MOMENT to recall a time when your life was significantly disrupted.

Prayer: Mary, you can understand fully when life does not go as planned. Pray for us that, in those times, we may receive peace by fixing our eyes on your Son and learn to trust his plan for us.

January 11

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give it to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” —John 14:27

Jesus warns us not to be fooled by the feelings of contentment that can accompany money, power, fame, or success. These do not bring us lasting peace. True peace comes from being in relationship with Our Lord. Jesus can give us peace and restore peace when our souls are troubled. His presence can calm our fears and help us when we meet obstacles in life.

In spite of many hardships, our Blessed Mother lived each day with a peaceful heart, because she and Jesus were united in mind and spirit. As the mother of Our Lord, Mary seeks to walk with us on our spiritual journey. She longs to lead us to her Son so we may experience the profound peace that only Jesus can bring.

— Gina Sannasardo

WHERE IS THE SOURCE of peace in your life? This day, invite Mary to help you to deepen your relationship with Jesus.

Prayer: Blessed Mother, please come close to me. Guide me in my life today so that I might receive the peaceful presence of your Son.

January 12

“And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” — Philippians 4:7

While traveling to Ephesus (in Turkey), I had the opportunity to visit what is believed to have been Mary’s last home. Walking the grounds, I was struck with such a sense of peace. Mary’s life had so many different dimensions, and peace was among them. Luke’s Gospel tells us that Mary listened to the shepherds who came to honor the baby Jesus and reflected on what they said in her heart.

Do we keep the messages that God sends to us in our hearts? When troubles or challenges arise, that is the time for us to be still and listen to what God is saying to us. He may be asking us to change something. Or he may be asking us to just sit peacefully, trusting that he has everything under control.

Mary’s life is a testament to following God’s guidance. And because of that, her life reflected peace. The same is true for us.

— Suzette Horyza

PRAYERFULLY CONSIDER the ways that you can invite the peace of the Lord to fill your heart this day.

Prayer: Mary, help me to be still when difficulties arise, that I may be open to receiving the peace that only Jesus can bring.

January 13

“Her ways are ways of pleasantness, / and all her paths are peace. / She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her; / those who hold her fast are called happy.” — Proverbs 3:17-18

This beautiful Scripture speaks eloquently about the peace that comes when one finds wisdom. But we can easily substitute “Mary” as the subject of this prose. In Scripture, few adjectives are attached to Mary. Regardless of what is happening, her demeanor is at peace because she walks with Christ. Mary is also a tree of life, inviting us to cling to her in times of unrest or struggle, to take refuge by her during the great storms of our lives, and to seek shelter and peace in her motherly embrace.

When we cling to Mary, the road to Jesus becomes clear. Her paths are peaceful ones for they lead us to her Son, Jesus, the Prince of Peace.

— Lauren Nelson

HAVE YOU EVER FOUND PEACE with Mary’s help? Spend a few moments asking for her to bring you peace today.

Prayer: Mary, I seek the peace that only you can help me find. Lead me to your beloved Son and keep me safe within your love.

January 14

“Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart.” — Luke 2:19

As God’s plan of salvation unfolds, there are three key moments when Mary deeply reflects on her experiences in her heart: the Annunciation, the Christmas visit of the shepherds, and finding the lost child Jesus in the Temple.

Interior silence and peace are integral to reflective prayer. St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta provided some insight into the connection. She wrote:

The fruit of Silence is Prayer

The fruit of Prayer is Faith

The fruit of Faith is Love

The fruit of Love is Service

The fruit of Service is Peace

Mary’s life offers us an example of how silent reflection will deepen our prayer, enrich our faith, increase our capacity to love, draw us to serve others, and fill our heart with peace.

Mary models and invites us to silent reflection, and Mother Teresa models and invites us to serve. When we do so we receive the interior peace that Jesus promised to us. This is how and where world peace begins, in our hearts.

— Bob Frazee

HOW CAN YOU embrace quiet, reflective prayer today?

Prayer: Blessed Mother, help me to discover the peace that comes from a life of prayer and service to your Son, Jesus Christ.

January 15

“Strive for peace with all men, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.” — Hebrews 12:14

If we seek to live in holiness and peace, then others will come to Jesus through our words and actions. Being the presence of Christ is not an easy task, because we live in a world filled with sin, criticism, judgment, and condemnation. How can we strive to be holy? Who can help us to live in this world as people of peace?

Mary’s life offers us a pathway to holiness and a way to a peaceful heart. Mary did not wish harm to those who turned her away from the inn when Jesus was to be born; nor did she attack those who rejected her Son — even those who crucified him. Throughout her life Mary remained a woman of peace. Our mother Mary invites us to follow her example of holiness when dealing with difficult people and negative situations.

— Gina Sannasardo

HOW CAN YOU EXHIBIT holiness today? Invite Mary’s peaceful spirit to help you, especially when dealing with difficult people.

Prayer: Blessed Mother, we look to you with eager hearts. Help us be righteous in your Son’s eyes so that one day we may enter into his glorious kingdom.

January 16

“And his name will be called … Prince of Peace.” — Isaiah 9:6

As a devout Jew, Mary was among those who were still living with hope for the Messiah. She would have been very familiar with the wonderful prophecies of Isaiah. Yet little did Mary know that she was the one that God had chosen to bring his Son, the Prince of Peace, into the world.

Our world, though, is so very far from peaceful. There are divisions between nations and within them. Friends have falling-outs, and family members are not talking to one another. We might well ask, where is this Prince of Peace?

Mary birthed peace into our world. Like Mary, we are charged to bring the Prince of Peace into our world. But that peace begins in our own hearts. With Mary’s help we can find Jesus alive in us and bring the presence of the Prince of Peace into our troubled and broken world.

— Christine Grano

WHAT IS THE STATE of my heart? Filled with peace? Or am I full of anxiety, anger, or fear? How can I carry peace inside me like Mary did, and birth peace into my circle of influence?

Prayer: Mary, pray for me that I allow the Lord to change my heart and infuse me with peace to birth into my world.

January 17

“And he said to the woman, ‘Your faith has saved you;go in peace.’” — Luke 7:50

Almost everyone is moved by the powerful image of Michelangelo’s Pietà, in which Mary cradles the lifeless body of Jesus after the Crucifixion.

But recently, I came upon another Pietà statue in which Mary’s posture was uniquely different. Instead of wrapping her arms around Jesus, Mary’s arms are extended outward. The palms of her hands are facing upward in a posture that expresses her complete openness to the will of God.

Grief is a fact of life. Loss can come when we least expect it. Like Mary, we can cradle the memories of more peaceful times. But Mary’s life can also inspire us to extend our arms and hearts to accept God’s will and allow his grace to bring us to a new place of peace.

— Chris Hannigan-Wiehn

IS THERE A LOSS in your life that causes you to long for peaceful times gone by? Can you cradle those memories in your heart and open yourself to God’s gift of peace?

Prayer: Mary, Queen of Peace, sit with me today as I extend my arms and open my hands to God asking for the healing peace of his divine love.

January 18

“For everything there is a season; and a time for every matter under the heavens: / A time to love, and a time to hate; / a time for war, and a time for peace.” — Ecclesiastes 3:1,8

As the mother of Jesus, Mary experienced the full range of human life. She felt love in her family; she witnessed acts of hatred, too, some directed toward her Son. Similarly, we witness acts of rejection and selfishness even among families and friends. We see violence in neighborhoods, sports arenas, workplaces, all around the world.

Through it all, Mary was able to keep peace in her heart, and we can, too. Mary’s life invites us to seek the Lord’s abiding peace, especially in times of trouble. Praying the Rosary is a favorite spiritual practice for many. The Rosary can be a powerful weapon of prayer, one that enables us to meditate with Mary and Jesus on the mysteries they shared in life.

— Mary Beth Desmond

THINK OF A TIME when you truly felt loved and at peace. Recall an experience of feeling rejection or opposition in your personal or professional life. Pray a Rosary, or part of the Rosary, and bring those times to God.

Prayer: Mary, pray that the Rosary may become a weapon of choice for me, to find peace and bring peace to the world.

January 19

“Let him turn away from evil and do right; / let him seek peace and pursue it.” — 1 Peter 3:11

It is easy to give into what looks glamorous and popular, but these passing elements will not bring us everlasting peace. The apostle Peter warns us about giving into evil ways and tells us that peace is something we must seek and pursue. We must actively look for where God plants seeds of peace and then be on watch for where it grows and spreads.

Our Blessed Mother is here to help us to do just that. We are given daily opportunities to turn away from evil and to do good, but we sometimes fail in that task. The next time you have a choice to make, turn to Mary for the inspiration and guidance to lead you away from evil and seek peace.

— Gina Sannasardo

WHAT PREVENTS YOU from being a peacemaker in this world? Invite Mary to help you to notice where peace can grow today.

Prayer: Mary, as the mother of Jesus and our spiritual mother, be with us as we wrestle to do what is right, and help us to seek and pursue peace in our lives.

January 20

“Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil, / but those who plan good have joy.” — Proverbs 12:20

God’s word teaches us that deceitful hearts seek revenge and harbor maliciousness. In contrast, the Scriptures also assure us that those who spread peace will have joy, both now and for eternity.

As the mother of Jesus, Mary knew how deceitful the human heart could be. But through her own commitment to God’s peace, Mary found deep joy, an attractive and genuine joy that radiated warmth for all. Our Blessed Mother waits for us to seek the peace that only her Son can bring. When we do, we, too, will find unexpected joy.

— Gina Sannasardo

CONSIDER THE OPPORTUNITIES in your life in which you can promote peace in the face of dissension or bitterness. Invite Mary to walk with you today, and to help you discover joy.

Prayer: Blessed Mother, come to our aide and be present with us as we stand against the deceit that tries to enter our hearts. Help us to live as sons and daughter of the Lord, that we may choose peace and find joy every day of our lives.

January 21

“For you shall go out in joy, / and be led forth in peace; / the mountains and the hills before you / shall break forth into singing / and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.” — Isaiah 55:12

After my husband and I became empty nesters, we were able to travel to Israel. There, the imagery that Isaiah used in his writings became fully alive to us. The beautiful landscape brought us to tears. Our hearts overflowed with peace as we realized that these were the very places the Holy Family walked.

Jesus frequently invited his disciples to come away with him to a place for rest, to receive the peace that they needed to continue in their work. When we look to Mary as Jesus’ mother, we often forget that she was also his devoted disciple. Mary raised Jesus, but she also listened attentively to him. Surely Mary found peace in those same beautiful places in the countryside so she could return to the demands of her life as wife, mother, and disciple.

— Christine Grano

WHERE ARE THOSE PLACES in nature that fill you with God’s peace? Take some time to intentionally place yourself in the peace of God’s creation as Mary did.

Prayer: Dear Mary, you found refreshment and peace in God and in creation. Pray that we take time to follow your lead, and that we find for ourselves places of rest and peace.

January 22

“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” — Galatians 5:22-23

Jesus gifts us with the fruits of the Spirit to help us in our times of need and weakness. They serve as a guide and reminder that we are not alone, nor separated from the One who sent the Spirit. Jesus is always with us, providing, nurturing, and peacefully empowering us.

As the mother of Jesus, Mary’s entire life reflects the full complement of the Holy Spirit’s gifts. Mary knew what it meant to have peace, love, kindness, and joy in her daily life, for she walked each day with Jesus. As the mother of our Savior, Mary’s life is a living model for us to follow on how to act, serve, and walk in the footsteps of her Son. Mary offers us a road map of where to go and to whom we should turn to in times of need.

— Gina Sannasardo

TURN TO MARY today and invite her to show you the pathway to peace. Seek Mary’s assistance in deepening your relationship with the Lord, for then peace will reign in your heart.

Prayer: Blessed Mother, we joyfully look to you as our mother, help us as we seek to cultivate peace, kindness, and joy in our daily living.

January 23

“And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” — Colossians 3:15,17

When we allow Christ to control our hearts, Scripture assures us that we will be at peace. Then we can do everything in the name of Jesus and give thanks to God through Jesus.

As the mother of Jesus, Mary is here to help us draw closer to her Son, Jesus. As our prayer advocate, Mary gently shares our burdens so that we can have peace again in our hearts. Mary will walk with us when we are afraid. She will take us by the hand and lead us in the direction of her Son. Let us seek Mary’s motherly help in restoring peace to our weary souls.

— Lauren Nelson

IN WHAT WAYS does your life reflect the peace of Christ? Ask Mary to show you how to welcome peace in your life. In all of your actions, ask her to guide your every step and the choices you make.

Prayer: Mary, help me to go about my day with the peace of Christ in my heart directing my steps.

January 24

“Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him.” — Psalms 37:7

A number of years ago, a small art gallery announced a contest to create a painting that captured the theme “Peace.” Submissions poured in from all over. Finally, the day arrived to publicly announce the winner.

When the winning painting was unveiled, the crowd was stunned. A massive waterfall was depicted with water cascading down the rocky precipice. The gray sky was filling with ominous dark clouds. A spindly tree clung to the rocky cliff with its small branches reaching toward the waterfall. On one branch, a bird was nesting. Her wings spread serenely over three small eggs.

Mary lived in a tumultuous world. Her homeland was occupied by a foreign army and those in power were often brutal. Beatings, scourging, forced military service, slavery, confiscation and destruction of property were common. In the midst of this was God’s picture of peace: Mary.

Mary’s peace flowed from her closeness to God. She never lost sight of God and never forgot God was there. Mary knew that even if chaos surrounded her, she could lean on God. Mary “nested” in the Lord.

— Joseph Abel, PhD

MAKE TIME THIS DAY to sit in quiet solitude with God. Know that God is present. Invite him to fill you with his peace.

Prayer: O Mary, may we learn to trust God as deeply and completely as you did.

January 25

“Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, do; and the God of peace will be with you.” — Philippians 4:8-9

St. Paul teaches on what enables us to discover the peace of God. The qualities that Paul speak of are those that Mary models for us. Mary is genuine and has integrity; she is chaste, caring, kind, and welcoming. Mary lived all that is needed to have a peace-filled and loving relationship with God and others. It is no wonder, then, that one of Mary’s honorary titles is Queen of Peace.

These same qualities can also serve as a guide for us. When we make them part of our lives and choices, we will find peace.

— Mary Beth Desmond

CONSIDER YOUR OWN LIFE. In what ways can you integrate the qualities mentioned above into your life so that you may experience the peace of Christ?

Prayer: Mary, may your loving qualities serve as a model and guide for all I think, say, and do.

January 26

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful.” — Colossians 3:15

Peace can dwell in our hearts if our focus is upon Jesus. Since we are all one in Christ, we are brothers and sisters called both to receive and to give peace.

Mary allowed peace to rule in her, and the peace that lived in her heart touched others in a most profound way. Despite the difficulties and challenges that Mary faced as the mother of Jesus, her life radiated peace and thanksgiving because she was at peace in her relationship with the Lord. Our Blessed Mother models for us a life of faithful discipleship, a life of the trust that brings peace.

— Gina Sannasardo

HOW CAN YOU LET PEACE reign in your heart? In what ways can you allow peace to become your gift to those around you? Today, ask Mary to place the peace of her Son in your heart.

Prayer: Blessed Mother, we pray that we, too, would learn to let your Son’s peace rule in our hearts so that we might serve one another with love and peace.

January 27

“She was greatly troubled at the saying.” — Luke 1:29

The Annunciation must have been quite an emotional experience for Mary. The Scriptures tell us she was initially troubled and afraid, then confused, because she didn’t understand. By the time the angel left her, Mary was at peace.

Mary’s interior peace was revealed in the most ordinary way: she went to help her cousin Elizabeth. Helping meant doing the laundry, cooking, and cleaning. It meant making preparations for a new baby’s arrival.

There’s a wonderful lesson for us in these ordinary gestures. We don’t need to do great heroic deeds, just loving ones. Loving others starts with a desire to respond to God’s grace. That desire grows into an intention, then a free choice to act. As Mary shows us, it can be as simple as offering help to a relative or friend.

When we answer the call of God in our lives, we may start out troubled, fearful, or confused, as Mary did. But we can also experience the interior peace that comes from surrendering to God’s will.

— Bob Frazee

HOW CAN WE CHANGE one ordinary deed today into an act of love?

Prayer: Mary, help me follow your example. Show me how to surrender, intend, and then act.

January 28

“The LORD lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.” — Numbers 6:26

I was raised by my mother after my parents divorced. She was plagued with alcohol addiction and mental illness. Sometimes my mother became suddenly agitated and made me the target of her unhappiness and despair. Everything about my life growing up was unstable and unpredictable.

Desperate for peace, I developed a close relationship with Jesus and a love for his mother. I often shared my burdens with Mary and asked her to help me find peace. She became a mother to me.

Mary is here to help us on life’s journey. She leads us to our gracious Lord, who longs to give us the gift of his peace.

— Michael Grano

RECALL A TIME when you sought and received peace in a difficult situation, perhaps one that was out of your control. Be grateful for that moment, and ask God to “look upon you kindly” with peace again today.

Prayer: Mary, please ask Jesus to send agents of peace to my life through friends and family, and help me to bring his peace to others.

January 29

“Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace be with you. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins any, they are retained.’” — John 20:19,23

Witnessing her Son’s execution at the foot of the cross, Mary was challenged. At the time, she may not have fully understood why Jesus had to die as he did. But Mary knew that to be at peace and live in peace she had to accept God’s will and live a heart-centered life trusting in God’s mercy and love. Despite injustice, violence, abandonment, and betrayal, she forgave.

Mary’s life challenges us to focus on peace and forgiveness, rather than injury and pain. When we are wronged, it is easy to hold on to negative thoughts and feelings. We can choose to turn the offense over and over in our minds and hold on to the injury as if that will somehow punish the perpetrator or justify our bitterness. That choice will never bring us peace.

— Jane Zimmerman

SEEK MARY’S HELP this day in letting go of any anger and hurt that is in your heart. Choose peace for your heart.

Prayer: Dear Mary, help me to forgive and to focus on the blessings all around me, so that my heart may be filled with the peace of Christ, your Son.

January 30

“If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.” — John 13:14

I wonder if Jesus remembered his own experiences as a child with his mother when he washed the feet of the disciples. Certainly, this ritual highlights the importance of humility and the peace and comfort it brings. No one modeled that better than Mary.

Mary must have washed the feet of her Son many times. Some of my fondest memories of fatherhood are of bathing our children when they were newborns. Warm water, cooing, stretching of arms and legs, and that prolonged baby gaze often gave way to their first smiles. Those were peaceful moments. I’m sure Mary treasured many such moments.

I recently had the honor of assisting at a sponge bath for a hospice patient I was visiting. The aide’s gentle respect for the patient’s dignity was humbling. This bath was peaceful, too. It was one of the final preparations for this man’s journey into eternal life.

— Bob Frazee

HOW CAN YOU RESPOND to Jesus’ invitation to wash one another’s feet?

Prayer: Mother Mary, teach me to seek peace in humble acts of service to others.

January 31

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” —John 14:27

Apart from Jesus we can find no peace. Thankfully, he is always with us; he will never abandon us. When our lives are difficult and filled with troubles, we may feel that the Lord has forgotten about us or that he is angry with us. We may be tempted to distance ourselves from God. But when we walk away from God, we also walk away from peace.

Mary shows us how to find peace in the midst of uncertainty. Her entire life was woven with the steel threads of a faith strong enough to keep it all together in good times and in bad. Peace lived in the depths of Mary’s soul, not because her life was easy, but because she understood that God was always with her. Left to fend for herself, Mary would have been in trouble. But the knowledge that she walked with God gave Mary great peace and strength.

— Dr. Mary Amore

HOW CAN YOU COME to a deeper realization that you are not alone, that Jesus is present in your life today and will be there for you tomorrow?

Prayer: Mary, life without Jesus is unbearable. Help me to walk with Christ, that I may have peace in my heart each day.