“Peace Be With You” More Than Just Words

I have often heard people on the street saying to another; ‘Peace brother or Peace sister’ I suppose because of the violent age in which we live, I have often reacted with cynicism when I have heard such a salutation and wondered if there was a commitment to true peace by the person who greets others in such a way. Because that salutation has often become a habit, it is said to many people and I really do not know if there is a commitment to build peace with every person who is greeted in such a way.

I thought of the above as I read this gospel passage because Jesus greets the disciples who were hidden behind closed doors riddled with fear with that same salutation; “Peace be with you.” The disciples obviously were with heavy hearts, some probably in a state of depression. Their minds and hearts were obviously not in peace. Jesus in his merciful love is aware of this and to show them his concern says to his disciples twice, “Peace be with you.” What is even more important is that Jesus is aware that the ultimate source of peace is the relationship that we have with the Father, a relationship of total trust and love, a relationship which allows us to experience that for those who love God everything works out for good. Jesus therefore because of his knowledge that sin is the only thing which can break that trusting relationship gives to the disciples gathered in community and through them to the church, the power to remove sin from the hearts and minds of persons. “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.” The community of the disciples or the church must have therefore a permanent and solid commitment to bring peace to all those with whom it is in contact. Only thus will Christ’s peace begin to be present in the world.

For us then, members of church, it is important to understand and recognize this vocation and task, which St. Paul calls the ministry of reconciliation, which ministry includes reconciliation with God, with each other, with nature and within oneself. As church we have to foster all the ways of achieving this reconciliation, including the sacramental ways.

A closer look at the lives of the saints will tell us that this is how they lived. They sought every possible way of helping others achieve the peace which they had attained. Mother Teresa did it with those living and dying on the streets of Calcutta, St. Francis called us reconciliation with nature, calling other terrestrial and celestial beings brothers and sisters, Mons. Romero unceasingly called the rich and powerful of his country to recognize the poor as brothers and sisters in Christ. Because You and I are church, we are also called in our own way to do the same.

To commit ourselves to being ministers of reconciliation is to commit ourselves to bringing God’s mercy to the world.

Prayer

All powerful and ever-loving God, You desire that all men and women live in harmony with you and each other. We are sinful creatures however and so often our selfishness separates us from you and from others. Because of this we so often do not have the Peace which you gave to your disciples after your resurrection.  We ask you Father for the grace of peace. Give us a deep desire for it Lord so that we may do whatever is necessary to achieve it. We ask this through the intercession of Mary our Mother and Jesus your son, the giver of peace. Amen

Gospel Jn 20:19-31

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.” Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nail-marks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” Now a week later his disciples were again inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.” Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.” Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book, but these are written that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that through this belief you may have life in his name.