Lord, Give Us Your Peace

26 Apr

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.
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.
I will no longer speak much with you,
for the ruler of the world is coming.
He has no power over me,
but the world must know that I love the Father
and that I do just as the Father has commanded me.”  (Jn 14:27-31a)

We look for all kinds of things in this life.

One of the things we seek is peace.

Peace of mind.

Peace among quarreling family or friends.

Peace among our co-workers.

Peace among our fellow students.

Peace in our country and in our world.

One of the problems is that we never seem to find that peace for which we long.

Perhaps, it is because we are looking for peace in all the wrong places?

We search for peace as this world of ours can give it.

However, how can our world give peace when it is in a constant state of discord?

The true peace for which we long can only come to us from the Lord.  He is able to give us peace.  He is willing to give us peace.  All we need to do is ask.

Once we receive His peace, it is incumbent upon us to share that peace with our world.

FAITH ACTION:  In solitude, pray the Peace Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive.
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.
Amen.