Today’s Gospel passage contains one of my favorite lines in scripture. Jesus says, “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” (John 14:27). Back in February, I was at mass right before a retreat I was leading was going to begin. During the sign of peace, someone said to me, “I hope you have real peace right now.” This was profound because this person’s comment was about the true peace that comes from Jesus, hoping and desiring that any fears or worries I had about the retreat were handed over and that I was trusting that Jesus was going to be in control and lead the way. This is the peace that is unlike anything else and it is the peace we should hope for everyone to have.
The peace that Jesus gives is not the absence of challenges or suffering. It is however a deep awareness of Christ’s presence and trust in Him. If we stay focused on Jesus, we can maintain this gift of peace He gives us, regardless of what is going on around us.
The world offers a totally different version of peace. It is fleeting and superficial. It is based on external circumstances. People hope for others to have happiness, success, and to accomplish great achievements. These things on their own do not mean much. And if they bring peace, it disappears after some time. As Catholics and Christians, we should hope for others to have peace, the true peace that only can be found in Christ.
The peace Jesus gives changes everything. It gives us a whole different way to live. It doesn’t take away our problems or challenges, but it helps us to know that Jesus is walking with us through them. My prayer for each of you today is that you remember the real peace that Jesus gives and do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid!
Faith and The Good Stuff 