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Gospel: John 14: 23-29
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Whoever loves me will keep my word,
and my Father will love him,
and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him.
Whoever does not love me does not keep my words;
yet the word you hear is not mine
but that of the Father who sent me.
“I have told you this while I am with you.
The Advocate, the Holy Spirit,
whom the Father will send in my name,
will teach you everything
and remind you of all that I told you.
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.
Not as the world gives do I give it to you.
Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.
You heard me tell you,
‘I am going away and I will come back to you.’
If you loved me,
you would rejoice that I am going to the Father;
for the Father is greater than I.
And now I have told you this before it happens,
so that when it happens you may believe.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
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Recently, I ran across a comic strip that showed a family preparing to go to church on Sunday.
In the first frame, the children were arguing with their mother about what to wear; nothing seemed to match or fit perfectly.
Then the children were fighting about use of the bathroom… Then there was a food fight at breakfast… Then they argued over seats in the car.
The final frame showed the family kneeling piously in a church pew praying for peace in the Middle East.
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There’s something both ironic and true about that.
We’re constantly reminded of the need to pray for world peace – in the Middle East, in Ukraine, in South Sudan – yet how often is that “peace” elusive in our own lives and even in our own families?
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In today’s Gospel, Jesus urges his disciples not to be “troubled,” rather to be at peace. This account takes place during the Last Supper discourse, the night before his crucifixion and death.
“Peace I leave with you,” he says. “My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you.”
Worldly peace often implies the absence of something.
It’s not the fruit of love; rather, it’s the absence of war. It’s the absence of noise in the house after the kids go to sleep. The absence of looking at emails while we lounge at the beach. The absence of thought while we’re lost in a book.
That type of peace never lasts; it fades. Eventually, war breaks out; the silence is disrupted by a stir in the house; a vacation ends; we finish a book. Life resumes. Yet this is the only type of peace some people know.
Christ’s peace is different. It’s like an anchor in the soul; it’s the sense that all is well, even in the midst of trial or tribulation.
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Interestingly, the first time this word “peace” is used in John’s Gospel comes from Christ’s parting words to his disciples during this Last Supper discourse.
The Lord has been betrayed; Satan has entered Judas’ heart, causing him to flee into the night. The crucifixion clock is ticking.
It’s there – under those circumstances – that Jesus opens his heart, extending his peace. The Lord will offer this same peace to his disciples after his death and resurrection while they’re cowering behind closed doors in Jerusalem.
With news of the crucifixion fresh in their hearts, and fearing for their own lives, Jesus will appear to them, saying, “Peace be with you.”
Not worldly peace, but divine peace.
In Hebrew, this word “peace” is translated as shalom. Shalom means, “harmony; wholeness; stillness.” It implies that something or someone has been broken, then pieced back together.
In the Old Testament, “shalom” is often used in reference to the cohesiveness of the community or family unit, even while under duress.
Meaning, divine peace is something that we can experience not in spite of, but even during, difficult moments in life.
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So, how do we receive it?
If only we could go on Amazon and hit, “Buy now with one click.”
But faith doesn’t work that way.
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In order to experience Christ’s peace, first we must love him. As he says in today’s Gospel, “Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him.”
Love by its very nature is curious. It always seeks to know more about its Beloved. If we love Jesus, then we will study his Word, spend time with him in prayer, even when life is difficult or busy, and receive him often in the Eucharist.
Secondly, we keep his commandments. “And my commandment is this,” he says, “love one another.” Love your family – and yes, your siblings; love your neighbors; even love your enemies. Do good to them. Be kind. Generous. Merciful. Forgiving.
Then Christ’s peace will be with you.
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We often pray for peace in places like Ukraine and the Middle East. While it seems elusive in those faraway lands, it can take root in any human heart that bears love for Christ and seeks to put his teachings into practice.
So, let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me.
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Image credits: (1) The Abundant Life Center (2) Vecteezy (3) Peaceful Hub, The Lotus Room, Facebook