Peace

Peace is not merely quiet agreement among men. Peacemeans harmony and satisfaction in all the tendencies and desires ofa man’s heart. Peace, therefore, is more than outer concord; itis inner repose in the attainment of all that can be desired.

Peace is the end of all desiring. Wherever there istendency, there is the drive for repose in the attaining of theobject of tendency. Peace is fulfillment, with tendency at rest.All things, inasmuch as they tend to their connatural orsupernatural end, tend to peace; we may even say that everythingdesires peace.

Peace in a man’s soul, spiritual peace, resultsfrom charity. When a person focuses his harmonious inner tendencieson God, he exercises charity, and he has peace. When men exercisecharity one towards another as true neighbors, they tend togetherunto God, and they have peace.

Peace, like joy, is not a virtue on its own account orin itself; it is the exercise of a virtue; it is an act and aneffect of the virtue of charity. Like joy, it is one of the twelvefruits of the Holy Ghost.