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| “Peace” by Théodore Chassériau, 1844-48 |
Commentary:
Reading 1: Acts 14:19-28
Commentary on Acts 14:19-28
This selection recounts the first missionary journey of Paul and Barnabas. It describes the model of how the church was built. Persecution drives further expansion of the Church to another town. Paul and Barnabas would enter a region and proclaim the Good News. They would then identify leaders among the converted, entrust the word to them and then move on having accomplished the establishment of a foothold among the gentiles. (See also 1 Corinthians 16:9 and 2 Corinthians 2:12.)
CCC: Acts 14:22 556, 2847
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 145:10-11, 12-13ab, 21
R. (see 12) Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Commentary on Ps 145:10-11, 12-13ab, 21
Psalm 145 is a hymn of praise and thanksgiving. The psalmist extols the faithful to give thanks and praise to God with their works as well as their worship. The Lord deserves absolute and complete dedication from his chosen ones. “May my mouth speak the praise of the Lord, and may all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.”
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Gospel: John 14:27-31a
Commentary on Jn 14:27-31a
In this passage, Jesus continues his monologue to the disciples at the Last Supper. They are afraid because of what he has told them and now he calms their fears. “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you.” He explains once more that he is returning to the Father so that the world might know his love for God and his faithfulness to the Father’s will.
CCC: Jn 14:30 1851, 2853; Jn 14:31 606
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Reflection:
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.” There were three great gifts left to us by Jesus. In this Gospel, we hear the first one – peace. The other two are his great sacrifice, which took with it our sins, and finally the gift we look forward to in just a few weeks, the gift of the Holy Spirit. Today we try to accept the “peace” he left us.
We TRY to accept his peace, because it is not offered as the world offers. The peace of Christ comes only with faith, hope, and trust. It is said that a child’s ability to have faith in God is completely formed by the time that child is two years old. That statement, made by recognized authorities in the psychological field, is made because, in those first two years, the child has perfect trust and faith in its parents who love and nurture it. If that faith and trust is not there in their first two years, the child cannot find it in God later in life.
We try to reach back into our innocent memories to accept the peace of Christ. Like children, he calls us to place our faith in him. We must find that place in our hearts where there is complete confidence that he is with us. Like a small child, he has taken us by the hand and leads us down right paths, safe from any harm in that inmost place. How difficult it is to accept the peace of Christ. We look around and see all the turmoil the world casts our way.
As difficult as it is to find the peace of Christ, we cannot see our path clearly unless we try to accept it. The analogy has been made by Diadochus of Photice (5th century mystic and Bishop) in his Treatise on Spiritual Perfection:
“Therefore, we must maintain great stillness of mind, even in the midst of our struggles. We shall then be able to distinguish between the different types of thoughts that come to us: those that are good, those sent by God, we will treasure in our memory; those that are evil and inspired by the devil we will reject.
A comparison with the sea may help us. A tranquil sea allows the fisherman to gaze right to its depths. No fish can hide there and escape his sight. The stormy sea, however, becomes murky when it is agitated by the winds. The very depths that it revealed in its placidness, the sea now hides. The skills of the fisherman are useless.”
The peace of Christ is found in the stillness of mind to which Diodochus refers. Today let us try to find that place in our hearts, a place embodied in the bread of life, the grace Christ gives us in his second gift, the gift of his sacrifice.
Pax
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