Sunday Meditation: The Peace of Christ

As in last week, the Sixth Sunday in Easter of Year C keeps the Gospel reading in the Farewell Discourse. Here Jesus tells the apostles of the coming Holy Spirit.  This is a rather complicated passage.  Notice the progression of thought.  It starts with mutual love with the Father and moves to “we” will come to dwell in those who are in that love, making a dwelling place.  Then the Holy Spirit, referred to as the “Advocate,” or, in other translations, the “Paraclete,” will guide and teach those in that love.  The Holy Spirit will bring you peace.  So who is the “we”? 

 

Jesus said to his disciples:

“Whoever loves me will keep my word,

and my Father will love him,

and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him.

Whoever does not love me does not keep my words;

yet the word you hear is not mine

but that of the Father who sent me.

 

“I have told you this while I am with you.

The Advocate, the Holy Spirit,

whom the Father will send in my name,

will teach you everything

and remind you of all that I told you.

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.”

~Jn 14:23-29

 

The “we” is the Trinity!  This Sunday I am going back to Fr. Tim Peters who does a magnificent job explaining the Gospel.

 

I am going to Fr. Peter Hahn of the St. Leo the Great Church in Lancaster, Pennsylvania for the pastoral homily.

The peace of Christ is “the most priceless gift and treasure that you and I can have.”

 

Sunday Meditation: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you."

 

For the hymn, we go back to John Michael Talbot, with his simply titled, “Peace.”  There is quite long introduction to this piece before we get lyrics, so hang in there.

 

Those were the first words of Pope Leo when he came out on the balcony, “Peace be with all of you.”