‘Nothing Gives Me More Peace Than Knowing Jesus Loves Me’

“The slightest breath of grace pushes along our little boat more vigorously and brings it more quickly and safely to port than all our oars and sails and rudders.” — Blessed Pere de Caussade

It was the summer of 1991 in Edgerton, Wisconsin. Brother Joseph Southwood and I were cruising along Lake Koshkonong on our sunfish sailboat, with the wind at our backs and not thinking much about our return trip home.

Eventually, we did reach the other side of the lake and immediately started the slow and painful process of tacking, cutting from side to side, make a few yards progress every 10 minutes or so.

One hour later, the sun was going down and we still had a long way to go. Providentially, a powerful speed boat coasted up to our side and a gentleman asked if he could tow us back to our dock. We were so grateful — and within 20 minutes we were safe and sound back on our shore.

Americans like to use the expression, “If there is a will, there is a way.” Although we certainly had the will and found a way to navigate our sunfish back to shore, it would have taken hours — and we were dependent on the wind not dying down. God wants to help us, but we need to make space in our busy lives so he can come into our boats and help us navigate through life’s daily storms.

I compare my life as a priest in New York City to riding a catamaran sailboat, going at high seas over big waves for long periods of time. I always start my day on the dock with Jesus, invite Him into the boat — and then I am good to go.

Related: Best Gift to Your Kids Isn’t What You Think 

As a kid, I used to love having snowball fights with my neighborhood friends. We would draw a line in the snow in the middle of my backyard, then break up into teams of four and start building our snow forts. Large boulders of snow were pushed next to each other and then big snowballs were lifted on top to create a support wall.

We pushed a pipe thought the wall to be able to see the other team attacking, and we made an arsenal of snowballs beforehand and piled up in a sled for ammunition.

Do we have a wall around our soul to prevent attacks from the devil?

Later, we poured water over the wall and the snowballs, and waited for the next day to have a really intense and often painful snowball fight. The other team would think twice before attacking, especially if our wall was tall and covered with ice.

The devil, our passions, the world, and other people are constantly throwing ice balls our way. Do we have a wall around our soul to prevent these attacks?

God’s grace offers protection and gives us a shield to resist these daily onslaughts of the enemies of our soul. Put on the armor of God, start and end your day with a heartfelt prayer or Scripture reading, and invite Jesus to come along! Nothing gives me more peace and confidence than to know Jesus loves me, that He walks with me, and that He will get me though whatever happens each day.

Fr. Michael Sliney, LLC, is a Catholic priest based in New York.