Peace of Christ!

John 14: 27-31

Jesus said to his disciples: Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. 28 You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I will come to you. ’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. 29 And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place you may believe. 30 I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me, 31 but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us go from here.

Food for thought! - Peace of Christ!

After promising us the Holy Spirit, whom he referred to as the «Advocate» that will «teach and instruct us», Jesus gives us another gift, peace: "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you." And he immediately adds: "Not as the world gives do I give to you." And he concludes: "Let (therefore) not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid."

The reason we are not supposed to be troubled nor afraid is that we are not left alone; Jesus leaves us with an advocate, that is, a pleader, an attorney, a lawyer who defends our cause. As St. Paul puts it, «We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.» (2 Cor 4:8-9)

In the Bible «peace» never means the absence of trouble. Indeed, peace by nature pressuposes trouble; we cannot talk of peace without implying trouble, just as we cannot talk of day without implying night. Something demonstrative of peace happened during Jesus' passion; he was at peace throughout: «He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.»

Amidist false accusations and cries of «crucify him», Jesus remained peacefully in silent to the amazement of Pilate, who remarked: «Do you refuse to speak to me? Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?»

When he carried the cross, when he lay down on the cross, and when he was nailed through his hands and feet, Jesus maintained his peace. THIS IS THE PEACE OF CHRIST, «which surpasses all understanding» (Phil. 4:7). The peace which Jesus offers us is the peace of conquest after challenges, is the peace that endures all kind of challenge. No experience of life can ever take it from us and no sorrow, no danger, no suffering, no problem can ever make it less. It is independent of outward circumstances.

In today's first reading there is another example of peace despite trouble (Act 14:19-22)

«But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having persuaded the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead. 20 But when the disciples gathered about him, he rose up and entered the city, and on the next day he went on with Barnabas to Derbe. 21 When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, 22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many hardships we must go before we enter the kingdom of God.»

Paul was talking from experience. He had just been bitten to die, but when he rose up, he went on doing what he had to do. He even encouraged others saying: «through many hardships we must go before we enter the kingdom of God.» Like Jesus, Paul is saying in other words, there's no crown without the cross; no victory without a fight; no day without a night; no Easter Sunday without Good Friday. Before we succeed, we must struggle.