Path Towards Peace

The pilgrim becomes aware precisely at this moment that his inner world is restless and turbulent, and that it is impossible to remain with the Lord in silence and peace. Why precisely now? In his ordinary activities, man normally lives out of touch with himself, running away from himself. But as the person who prays journeys inwardly seeking to enter into communion with the Lord, they confirm that His inner words are inhabited by aggressive and regressive forces, and that in the deepest, innermost part of His being, war reigns instead of peace. Communion between two begs so dissimilar is impossible.

In effect, when the person who prays looks analytically into his inner worlds, he may find himself, and often does, to be in a generally deplorable state: despondency, bitterness, melancholy, emotional blocks, cultivated antipathies, frustrations, fears, anxiety… all kinds of aggressiveness and generalized conflict.

The person who prays knows from experience that the God of peace invariably shipwrecks in this turbulent, restless sea. He feels the urgent need for purification that will not come, except through the path of integral reconciliation. That consists of dousing the flames, silencing conflicts, healing the wounds, coming to terms with the painful past, accepting negative personality traits, forgiving oneself, forgiving others; in a word, eliminating internal warfare.

Extracted from the book “Journey Towards God” by Fr. Ignacio Larrañaga.