Peace is Flowing like a River

Peace is flowing like a river,
Flowing out of you and me,
Flowing out into the desert,
Setting all the captives free.

We used to sing this song right after the sign of peace growing up. I always thought the words were pretty; they'd conjure up images of a river and a desert and rain and green plants. And while this imagery is beautiful, singing this song again after a year of campus missionary work, a whole new set of images and meanings came to mind.

Rather than just an abstract idea of "peace" that is somehow flowing out into this idyllic, almost mythological "desert", I thought of campus and the students there. I wouldn't say that the college campus is the typical place I would go to if I were looking for peace. But, we're always called to be peaceful, even at college. One of the ways I am blessed to be part of the New Evangelization is by sharing what it means to have peace in one's life, even amidst the stress and business of everyday life.

I like the idea of peace being like a river. Rivers seem to make such a happy sound. Just so, peace brings happiness. Those who have peace in their lives are joyful people! Rivers don't try to flow where they shouldn't. They are bound by the rules of gravity and erosion. They can't climb up a mountain, no matter how hard they try. Rivers are made to run from a high point to a low point. We work in the same way. There is a natural order to our existence. God has a plan for our lives, and when we follow that plan, we are filled with peace and joy. When we don't, when we try to carve out a path that isn't meant to be, we lose that peace and joy.

It's amazing how noticeable peace is, too. There is something about those students who are able to face the common stresses of college life with a calm courage and joy. They aren't caught up in their grades. They don't become overwhelmed and anxious at a long paper or project. Instead, they are able to adapt as necessary, and maintain focus on what matters most: their faith in Jesus Christ and His Church.

As a missionary, I hope to spread this same peace to the women in my Bible studies and on campus as a whole. Many students who seem to lack peace in their lives don't even realize it's missing. It's like they've been living in a desert for so long, that they don't remember what a river looks like. Sometimes they can be suspicious of trying to integrate peace in their own lives. After centering their lives on grades or friends, it's hard to see why changing their focus to Christ would be important, or how it would even be possible. Sometimes, on the other hand, they do see the importance and possibility of change. They see how peace can bring them happiness, and strive to make changes. It's never easy. Just as water flowing in to a desert doesn't cause growth overnight, having the desire for change doesn't cause change to immediately occur. But without that desire, peace will never come. Peace cannot be forced into one's life, but it can be invited in.