Peace be with you

Peace of mind is important to the God. Post the resurrection, he greeted his disciples many times with those words. It was more than a casual greeting; it was a powerful declaration, a promise of inner calm and spiritual well-being.

I’d imagine that he repeated it so frequently because he said it at a time when things were in chaos. The disciples were scared and trying to determine what the future held. And while it was 2000 years ago, that description could well describe what many of us are feeling today. There are best-selling books called The Anxious Generation, Calming the Emotional Storm, and Addicted to Drama. If we look at our world over the last century, when has the world NOT been in chaos? 2 World Wars, the stock market crash, the Great Depression, the Holocaust, Wars in Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan, the Middle East, racism, sexual harassment, societal polarization, gun violence, human trafficking, COVID, online shaming. Throughout all of history, human beings don’t treat each other very well. It’s no wonder tension, anxiety, and mental health are increasing to crisis levels.

Our God hears the cries of those in need, and he offers us a way out. St Paul’s letter to the Philippians tells us, “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” What makes God’s peace different?

• The world’s peace is temporary and easily influenced by changing circumstances – God’s peace is permanent, rooting in the unchanging, unconditional nature of divine love.
• The world’s peace is dependent on feelings – God’s peace is rooted in trust. As such, the world’s peace is fragile, but God’s peace is stable.
• The world’s peace doesn’t allow for trials and tribulations – God’s peace knows that challenges are part of everyday life.

We must ask ourselves; do we believe that God has a plan for our world? The Gospel told us a couple weeks ago, as Christians, “no one can take us out of the Father’s hand.” Do we trust that plan?

Jesus offers his followers a peace that transcends the anxieties and turmoil of the world. This peace isn’t the absence of hardship, but rather, the presence of inner strength and serenity amidst life’s storms, because Jesus has our back. God’s love for us is unconditional and ever present. “Peace be with you” embodies a deeper spiritual reality.

2025 is a Jubilee year where we are called to be Pilgrims of Hope. The resurrection is the foundation of this hope; nothing is impossible for God. It’s a reminder that even in the face of worldly adversity, peace is possible. It’s ours for the taking.

Our trust in Jesus is a powerful symbol, a testament to the enduring power of Jesus’ message of love and hope. It’s a call to cultivate inner peace, to seek harmony in our relationships, to embrace a life of love and understanding. It’s a gift we can offer ourselves and others, a gift that transcends time and circumstance.

Jesus extols, “Do not let your hearts be troubled, have faith in God and faith in me.”

Peace be with you.