6th Sunday of Easter: Peace of Jesus

05-15-2022Weekly ReflectionFr. Bing Colasito

Jn 14:23-29

At the second post-resurrection appearance of Jesus, He blesses the Apostles with the blessing of PEACE. The PEACE he gives is vastly different from the peace the world gives. At the Eucharist, we offer each other a sign of peace just before receiving the Holy Communion. Knowing the frightened state of the Apostle, Jesus confers to them the gift of peace: Peace be with you. In giving them the gift of His peace, He assures them that He knows their fears and the troubled condition of their hearts, so He tells them: Do not be distressed or fearful.

The most distressing and fearful possibility for us is the prospect of suffering. There are times when the fear of what might happen makes us suffer more than the actual suffering. Because of this, some think that one achieves a peaceful heart when one eliminates all forms of woes and anguish. Thus, referring to the kind of peace the world offers. But this kind is fragile; as soon as another trials or sufferings come, peace vanishes. The PEACE Jesus offers does not depend on the absence of suffering. The biblical promise of PEACE shalom, well-being, and everything is right is the blessing of reconciliation that promised to bestow the fruit of God’s salvific action in the future.

The PEACE of Jesus is the fruit of His relationship with God that He wishes to share with the disciples. It is a peace that results from His love for the Father, unlike anything the world offers, which rejects God. This kind of peace calls the disciples to a confident, trusting faith that promises peace by obeying the Father and accepting His love. Genuine peace reigns in the depths of the heart. The inner one endures amid great sorrow; possible only when there is perfect union with the will of the Father.

My PEACE I leave with you; My peace I give to you. With the war in Ukraine still going on; and the many other conflict hotspots in the Middle East: Is PEACE possible? There are many places where there is a division because of religion - socio-political issues; the aspiration for harmony remains high. Even among families, divisions exist because of ideas and ideals, generation gaps, traditions and cultures, and political affiliations.

There is a story of an elderly Jew who goes to the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem every day for 40 years to pray. When a reporter asked him what he was praying for at the Wall, he replied: For peace. When the reporter asked him how he felt after doing this for 40 years, he replied: I feel like I’m talking to a wall!

It seems; that the world has not accepted Jesus’ message and the gift of peace after all these years. Even though it is fragile and fleeting, we must not stop praying and working for peace. Despite the difficulties: Do not let your hearts be troubled and afraid. It is so consoling to hear Jesus’ words in a world full of stress, uncertainties, and conflicts. Those who want God’s Peace: The secret of peace is a heart focused on God and a life adapted to the Father’s stance. Our earthly journey can be peaceful and joyful in this “valley of tears” if we hold on to God’s words in our hearts and follow God’s command to love.

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