November 20, 2022
May 12, 2020
John 14:27-31A
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.”
Pax Romano. Pax Christi.
Roman’s Peace. Christ’s Peace.
When the Romans came into an area they would defeat the native people and subjugate them. They would enforce a brutal peace. There would be no skirmishes, fights or wars because the Romans would put them down and crush the combatants. So, there was peace but an uneasy peace. Peace for the Romans was slavery for the people.
Jesus, offered a peace of the spirit. He didn’t promise you wouldn’t have struggles. He promised you freedom of the spirit and that he would be there to accompany you through the struggles. He would hold you when you hurt.
When I was young, my dad kept peace in the house because we knew if we caused trouble we would suffer the consequences. My mother only needed to say, “Wait until your dad gets home, and we would stop whatever. PAX ROMANO.
My mom, on the other hand, would bring peace to our spirits. If, my heart was broken, my mom would listen, hold me, if necessary. Whatever might happen, she was there to accompany us, to help us heal. PAX CHRISTI.
When Jesus says “‘not as the world gives”, he is saying that there will be troubled times but I won’t leave you.
My peace I give you.
What I Heard Him Say 