The priest says “May peace be with you”.

The congregation reply “And also with you”.

If you ever attend a Catholic mass, you would have heard of this “conversation” we all have with our priest. And it has become a habitual reply from all of us. Almost robotic, if I may put it crudely. Which comes the danger that we may be mouthing it so easily and routinely that we might have forgotten how important this is -that peace may be with us.

Over the weekend, two elderly passed away. My friend’s father first, followed by my grandaunt a day later. I just came back from my grandaunt’s wake, and as part of the “usual practice”, someone would brief us on how the deceased passed away. My aunt undertook this task, being the daughter.

My grandaunt had a fall late last year, and she was bounded to the wheelchair since. When I visited her during Chinese New Year a month ago, I could visibly tell the deterioration of her health from a year ago. The loss of mobility aside, she had shrunk to a few sizes smaller. My heart just dropped at the sight of her.

So that fateful morning, after having breakfast, she sat in her chair in the living room and dozed off. That was also when she had her last breath. In short, she died peacefully in her sleep. I guess for any elderly, this is the best possible way to leave the earth.

In contrast with my friend’s father who was in his 80s. He was unfortunately knocked down by a motorist and passed on a day later, very much in pain. I am not to comment whether he was in peace on his deathbed, but he certainly wasn’t in comfort. My friend felt her heart ached every second that her father was fighting for one more breath. Even morphine couldn’t stop the pain.

Peace. Peace. Peace.

(I read that olive green is the traditional colour of peace :))

How many times have we found ourselves entangled in a huge internal struggle that we couldn’t even breath properly? How often have we lost control of our emotions and did something so drastic that caused us to regret terribly after that, even after we apologised to the parties we have hurt? When was the last time you really felt so at peace in your heart, with yourself, with the people around you, with your family, with your partner and maybe, with God?

As much as it sounds rather easily achievable, peace is really that state of mind where we don’t feel any displeasure but only appreciate the contentment and happiness. We are in balance. We are blissful.

Yet in reality, we are too bothered by what is going around us. We succumb to temptations like power, looks, financial affluence, which is good if it drives us to keep on improving ourselves and to develop our inner strength. But when we allow them to consume us, things will go out of hand pretty easy. Look what power has done to so many countries mired in wars.

All these events begin to make me wonder: What will happen if all of us go for peace instead?

Mother Teresa, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 once answered a question that queried on her refusal to participate in an anti-war campaign. She said she would not want to strive for anti-war. However, if their goal was for world peace, they could count her in.

Do you see the distinction?

Wars happen in the absence of peace. In the absence of wars, can we be assured that peace is prevailing? We can’t. But when peace triumph any conflicts, then we aren’t only looking at a world without wars. It would also be a universe with love, happiness, understanding, tolerance, sacrifice and mostly, peace.

Regardless if it is an individual, a group, a country or the world, peace affects and blesses everyone.

Hence, I hereby give you my peace. May peace be with you, and your loved ones.

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