Lighting the candle of peace

I've been struggling a lot with the concept of peace.

Jesus came to being peace and yet in his first days there was a massacre of young boys and he fled to a distant place as a refugee.

The world gets wound up this time of year. It seems people rush to hit deadlines by the end of the semester or the year.  They add to the list with holiday shopping and crafting. The stress creates shorter fuses than usual and there is some strong underlying emotional current that is palpable.  It doesn't feel like peace. It doesn't look like peace.

And so,  I yell at God... where's the peace? Didn't you come to bring peace that passes understanding?

And God whispers... I did.

I'm looking for a world to be a peace.  That would be a peace we could all understand.  But the peace of God passes understanding.  It is like love.  Solid and present in the midst of turmoil and chaos. I need to stop looking for the world to be a peace and rather look to God. The promise of peace is there and when I reach beyond myself to the  limitless holy mystery of the divine. Peace comes.  And it passes all understanding.

Peace be with you.