FRIENDS and SERVANTS of the WORD
30 April 2024 EASTER TUESDAY 5
Jesus said to his disciples:
“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: 27-31)
How shall I live this Word? 
Jesus speaks of peace and we realize how much we desire peace, especially in these times! We need peace! The Lord knows this, so much so that peace is the first gift the Risen Christ gives to His disciples gathered in fear and trembling in the Upper Room. His peace is Shalom, the gift par excellence, the gift that contains every other gift. It is the messianic peace that is “the fullness of every blessing”.
This peace is not the peace of the world. The peace of the world is born from victories and defeats; born around tables of negotiations where interests and gains are at stake; it is the peace of ‘right’. The peace of Jesus – instead – comes from love, from the love that is stronger than death, stronger than any selfishness, than any self-interest. It is the peace of the Crucified One; a peace that is the forgiveness of God, that breaks the infernal spiral of revenge and violence. What peace are we cultivating? Peace that depends on humans? While longing for it, for the good of many, we realize that we have the logic of power, sometimes hellish! Even in these situations, respecting our freedom, Jesus asks us not to let hope die; He tells our heart not to be upset. He, who promised to be with us always, continues to give us His peace! Only a heart open to this peace, can be attentive to the peace of others, can defend “their peace” without interests, with gratuitousness and justice.
Give us your peace, Lord! Give it to those who suffer injustice and violence. Have mercy on us, on our wickedness! O Holy Spirit, make us whole with Your presence!
The voice of Pope Francis – Angelus 7 September 2013
Never again war! Peace is too precious a gift, which must be promoted and protected… It is never the use of violence that leads to peace. War calls war, violence calls violence!
With all my strength, I ask the conflicting parties to listen to the voice of their conscience, not to close themselves in their own interests, but to look at the other as a brother and to undertake with courage and determination the path of encounter and negotiation, overcoming all blind opposition!
_________________________________________________________________________
Living Scripture 
Leave a comment