When Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in August of 2005, many people were displaced. Busloads arrived n Houston, Texas and were temporarily housed in the Brown Convention Center. I watched an interview on TV with a young man at the center who had recently arrived after being twenty four hours without food or sleep. The interviewer asked, “How do you feel, having gone through such devastation? It must be horrifying for you.” Well”, he answered, “I’ve just had a nice shower, and I have on clean clothes, and I can smell something delicious for dinner waiting for me in the dining area, so I’m feeling quite good right now.”

Some refugees were numb from their experience and barely responsive. Some were angry, and others poured out their griefs to anyone who would listen; but this young man seemed resilient and even grateful for the change in his condition, no matter how temporary.

St. Paul wrote to the Philippians, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say again, “rejoice!” Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and minds in Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 4:4).

The peace that the gentle young man exhibited didn’t come from the nice shower or the clean clothes or the anticipation of a good dinner. If it had, then all the refugees would have felt the same. Instead, it came from within the young man’s character, even as Paul’s “peace that passes understanding” comes from the Holy Spirit of Christ, who lives within us. Paul doesn’t say that such peace can be found in clean clothes and a good dinner, but that it can be found within ourselves. In a world that talks much about peace, but experiences very little of it, these words of Paul are very strong, for he makes it clear that peace, which people of all religions crave, is accessible through God in Christ.

When I am anxious the memory of this promise fills me with the sweetness of intimacy with God. It seems very personal, an actual sharing with God’s Holy Spirit. It passes understanding that this unlikely peace could be ours; it’s an extravagant claim, but one of the most quoted and cherished in the Bible.

Love in Him,

Prue