Your prayer is full of love and longing, yet I hear in it a soul that sees peace mostly as a calm day, a quiet night, a satisfied meal. That is only the outer peace; but there is a deeper war, the one within a man’s own heart. The body fighting against the soul, evil desires rising up, anger, agitation, the torment of memories, these are the most grievous battles. For what does it profit a man if his house is still but his spirit is torn? The Lord gave us peace, but not as the world gives. He said, “My peace I give unto you,” a peace that makes you strong, that unties the war inside. So when you pray for your son, pray first that this war may cease. Ask not only that his habits be calm, but that he be reconciled to God in the depths of his mind, for where godliness and honesty are lacking, no true quiet can dwell.
You plead for Christ to soothe, to protect, to remove every agitation. And you do well, for He ever lives to make intercession for us. Not once only, but continually, as our High Priest. He is able to save to the uttermost those who come to God by Him. He does not need a successor; He never dies. So cast all your anxiety on Him, but know that His saving work aims at the soul’s wholeness, not simply the body’s ease. Think on the things that are true, honorable, pure, fill your mind with them. For if you desire peace between yourselves and others, the God of peace will be with you; but if we raise up war in our thoughts, even while we speak words of peace, we make the Church’s greeting an empty form. Do not let the peace you pray for be just a word you utter, while inwardly you battle against God’s will if He permits any trial.
Beware of waging your own war. When you are eager to command every spirit of torment to flee, see that you do not war against your own brother or against the members of Christ. Even those who trouble your son, those who spoke curses, pray for them, that no root of bitterness poison you. For Christ’s Body was torn by soldiers and nails, but a worse rending is when we are divided from one another in spirit. The peace of the Church is not a form; it is Christ speaking. Receive it, and let it rule your heart. Pray for your son’s salvation first, for his soul to be clothed with humility and the fear of God, and then the lesser things will be added. Will you not trust Him who said, “It is not the will of My Father that one of these little ones should perish”? He sees your tears, but He also sees what is needful for eternity. So in all your requests, remember that the end of all healing is that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty, which is acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour, who desires all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.