{"id":176,"date":"2021-03-10T20:52:00","date_gmt":"2021-03-10T20:52:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.valpo.edu\/devotionals\/2021\/07\/14\/acquiring-a-peaceful-spirit\/"},"modified":"2025-12-30T20:40:55","modified_gmt":"2025-12-30T20:40:55","slug":"acquiring-a-peaceful-spirit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.valpo.edu\/devotionals\/acquiring-a-peaceful-spirit\/","title":{"rendered":"Acquiring a peaceful spirit"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

St. Seraphim of Sarov is one of the most well-loved figures in the Russian Orthodox church. He lived from 1759 to 1833, and he spent 25 of those years living as a hermit in a hut in a Russian forest. One of the most famous stories about him<\/a> goes a little something like this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once a nun, Matrona, came from a nearby convent to visit Seraphim. As she stepped into the clearing where he lived, she screamed in terror. A huge bear stood there, getting right up in Seraphim\u2019s face. The hermit noticed Martrona (obviously, with the blood-curdling scream and all), then simply patted the bear and ushered it away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The nun slowly gathered back her breath as she felt sure that the bear was really gone. Then she settled in near Seraphim, and they began to talk about prayer and communion with God. After a time she heard the shuffling, grunting sound of the bear coming back. She started backing away, but Seraphim remained still. The bear came close to him, and, with a clumsy thud, nestled against the hermit\u2019s legs. Seraphim gently stroked the bear\u2019s back, then broke off some of his own bread and fed it to the giant creature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Matrona stared at Seraphim. Peace seemed to radiate from his face like a holy light. Seraphim broke off another piece of bread and held it out to the nun. \u201cYou don\u2019t need to be afraid of him,\u201d he said. Matrona hesitated, noticing the claws and imagining the muscles underneath all that heavy fur. Still, she was drawn by the light of Seraphim\u2019s face. She took the bread, then, with her arm stretched out as long as it could go, she held the bread to the bear\u2019s terrible mouth. The bear opened its massive jaws and gently took the treat from her trembling fingers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A rush of love and joy swept over Matrona. All her fear was gone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At this point our park ranger friends will jump in: \u201cBut don\u2019t feed the bears!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t worry, friends; that\u2019s not the point this story is making. Christians have told this story again and again to teach a lesson about fear and faith.<\/strong> The many paintings of this story are meant to remind us that when Christ is the center of our lives, fear no longer rules us. The \u201cfaith, hope, and love,\u201d the groundedness<\/em> which Christ gives us \u2014 these fruits of the Spirit keep fear in its rightful place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One thing I really like about the story of St. Seraphim and the Bear is that it doesn\u2019t focus on how someone conquered their fears through some otherworldly experience \u2014 even if it is the story of a nun and a saint petting a bear. The details are spectacular, but at its heart this story is about Matrona seeing the peace, joy, and love that radiated from Seraphim, and of her being drawn into his faith until she was given her own. It\u2019s a very down-to-earth story in that sense, because, as scripture tells us:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us\u2026God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them.<\/em> (1 John 4:12, 16b). <\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Maybe you, too, have been blessed to know someone who radiates love and assurance that is rooted in God\u2019s love. Or maybe you have found such a person to learn about, whose faith radiates off the pages of a book or through the glow of the movie screen. Someone whose faith draws you deeper into your own faith. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maybe you are such a person for someone else \u2014 or you will be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

St. Seraphim said: \u201cAcquire a peaceful spirit, and around you thousands will be saved.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

This week,\u00a0I invite you to do one intentional act to help center yourself in Christ.<\/strong>\u00a0Maybe that\u2019s calling up that person who models faith for you. Maybe it\u2019s going for a long walk or making use of the\u00a0prayer labyrinth<\/a>\u00a0outside the Chapel of the Resurrection. Maybe it\u2019s meditating on a scripture passage or listening to music that lifts you to a place of prayer. Maybe it\u2019s finding a way to serve others.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

The peace of the Lord is among us right now, so open yourselves to receive it.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The peace of the Lord kept within cannot live, so open yourselves now to share it.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

(\u201cThe Peace of the Lord,\u201d ELW<\/em> 646)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

May the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, keep our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:7).<\/em> Amen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pr. Kate<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rev. Katherine Museus Dabay<\/a> serves as university pastor at the Chapel of the Resurrection at Valparaiso University and takes turns writing weekly devotions with University Pastor James A. Wetzstein.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Image:<\/a> Andrew Madekin. Tapestry \u201cSeraphim of Sarov and bear\u201d 130 x 200 cm, 1995<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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