Sixth Sunday of Easter, Joh 14,23-29

Let us receive and keep the peace of Christ
(Jn 14:23-29)
The peace of Christ is a gift to which we want to respond in truth and love in our lives.

Have you heard about the hidden camera? Sure. Drivers are surprised when they are convicted of a traffic violation. Cameras are watching us more and more in workplaces, banks, department stores… Their job is to help, serve, prevent dishonesty, and so on. The show “Hidden Camera” wants to cheer us up. Do you know of any other cameras? Can we also call conscience a camera? God wants our happiness. Conscience warns us and warns us against sin. We know that sin kills God in us. Sin destroys the peace in our souls. Do we not sigh together that if we had been more attentive to the voice of our conscience in our lives, we could have avoided much turmoil.
What a great gift is peace! It is said that after the word mother, there is this word: Peace, Pax, Peace, Paix, Fride, Peace, Peace… most understandable. And yet, even to this word, people give different content. It can mean the end of a war; for others, it means the end of a work shift, another speaks of peace when the children go on holiday, and another imagines the word peace in the silence of a monastery or when he is alone.

In the Gospel, the Lord Jesus says to the apostles, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you. But I do not give to you as the world gives” (Jn 14:27).
We can only understand the words of the Lord Jesus about peace if we remember that the Hebrew word “shalom” does not mean peace as a state without noise, murder, tension, being in nature or behind the walls of a monastery, but that it is “the sum of all God’s gifts.” It is a gift of God and not something that comes only from the possibilities of this world. Jesus gives these gifts to those who give themselves wholly and entirely to him as their Lord and God. He points to the keeping of the Gospel value of truth and righteousness, where one must stand on the side of decency and respect. Jesus is not talking about seeking peace at any cost. Peace cannot be spoken of where ignorance triumphs, where gold and money are preferred, where hunger is not seen, where terror closes the mouth, where truth cannot be spoken, where a style of life is imposed, where freedom is a false enterprise. The peace of Christ is founded on a balance within that emphasizes victory over self. The inner peace of man, the peace of the heart, is animated by a faith that draws on the words of Christ. Not only does a man assimilate the teachings of Christ within himself, but his actions and comments must be equally consistent with the teachings of Christ.

Jesus’ words of peace were spoken in the so-called farewell discourse in the Upper Room. Jesus knows that his hour has come. The terms of the prophet Isaiah are being fulfilled, “His reign will be great, and His peace will be without end” (Isa. 9:6). And this prophet’s words fall like a balm on the soul of man, for peace is a gift to souls. Jesus’ words about peace reveal that everything begins in the heart. A loving heart forgives offenses; it does not respond to violence with violence. At the Last Supper, we realize the greatness of Christ’s peace. The one who loves and trusts God is not moved by any life event, injustice, or wrongdoing, to make his way to peace by weapon, retaliation, or hatred. A heart that has a genuine love and trusts God can trust people. The misfortune for humanity is that we do not love God and trust Him. This causes the one who does not love God to have any respect, even for himself. The proof of these wars, murders, and violence. Those who want to obtain true peace cannot do without prayer and sacrifice. Yes, talking, explaining, and clarifying things is necessary, but words alone will not bring peace. Anger does not have to accept apologies or apologies. Restlessness creates a vicious cycle, and help from God is needed to break it. The secret of peace can only be realized by people inflamed with true love, and the prophet Isaiah says: “… there is no peace for the wicked” (Isaiah 48:22). They can do many things, speak many words, and hold many meetings, but this will not be all; this will not serve peace; this will move away from true peace because their conscience will not belong to God. True peace, the peace that Christ gives, begins in the depth of a good heart.
We Christians are often accused of saying that the world has changed little in two thousand years. We may claim that the Messiah has come into the world, but there is still much evil. We know that even in the time of Jesus, it looked no different. How many have believed in Christ? The Romans did not leave Palestine after Jesus’ sermons. Those who stole continued to steal, and those who were unjust continued their activities. Does this statement seem pessimistic? Perhaps at first glance. In today’s Gospel, Jesus speaks of three gifts He wants to give to the apostles. He gives them his word when he says: “Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him” (Jn 14:23). He gives them His Holy Spirit: “The Comforter, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and bring all I have said to you” (Jn 14:26). Finally, he gives them the promise of peace. We know that the apostles went out into the world with these gifts. Today we are expected to accept these gifts. Let us not hope for something else that Jesus has not promised us. Let us not expect the world to change according to our expectations. Let us notice more what Jesus has given us with these gifts. He has given us his word that can free us from the restlessness in our heart-soul, deepen our love, strengthen us in faithfulness, and bring us on the right path to follow Jesus. Because the word of Jesus is not just a human word, but it is the word of God in human form, which is hidden behind the word love. Every Christian is expected to live in union with Christ and become an instrument of peace. The example of the Christian becomes an illumination on the way for others who long for peace.
Blessed Ozanam, a great and charitable man, recalls how he came to Paris and his faith was in a severe crisis. With a soul wracked with doubt, he entered the church and saw a man praying on his knees in a corner. When he came closer, he saw that it was the renowned physicist Ampère. Later Ozanam says that Ampère’s prayer did more in his life than all the books and sermons.
Jesus not only promised us the gift of peace, but through the sacraments, he gave us what he promised. We received the call to peace in the Sacrament of Baptism. We have renounced sin and confessed our faith. We have received an indelible mark into our souls. We have opened ourselves to the Word of God. We have opened the way to peace, the way to God’s gifts. We must cooperate with the skills, the sacraments. By receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation, we have not only outwardly confessed our faith once, but the Holy Spirit wants to guide us by His gifts to keep on confessing our faith and living it. He imprints a second indelible mark on the soul of the baptized. We are aware of the promise of the Lord Jesus, “Behold, I will send upon you what my Father has promised” (Lk 24:49). With the gifts of the Holy Spirit, we build up the peace of Christ within us. The Eucharist reminds us again and again of God’s love for us. Therefore, no one may receive the body and blood of Christ who does not love a brother. Whoever does not love a brother does not share in the promised gift of peace. Sacramental reconciliation not only restores lost peace but causes an increase in God’s blessings in the soul of man. In the anointing of the sick, the peace of Christ gives strength to the sick body. The viaticum prepares for the encounter with God the Judge so that the soul may enter into eternal peace. The sacraments of state, marriage, and the priesthood give room to fulfill their mission in peace.

The French novelist Julius Green converted to Catholicism. In his novel Chaque ĺ Homme a save, he tells us that every man has his powers and shadows. Ingram is torn between the demands of a believing conscience and unbridled sexual desires. While those around him consider him a decent person, Ingram knows that he is steeped in the mire of sins. When he goes to the brothel, he puts away his rosary so that the Crucified One will not be present. He sometimes desires to throw away his faith because it hinders him from enjoying himself to the full. He feels that his actions are dulling the faith. Sometimes he thinks that man is made up of two personalities. His situation is sharpened when he meets a woman, his relative James Knight, and falls in love with her. James knows of their affair but trusts his wife. One day, a conversation between the two men, “I don’t want to tell you about religion,” James says to Ingram, “but I want to read you four verses from the Bible.” Then he reads the names of the apostles and finally gives his name instead of Judas. Ingram is puzzled and asks why he gives his name instead of Judas. James answers him, “Remember; we can put everyone’s name instead of Judas’ name. Jesus loves Judas. Betraying Jesus was a great but forgivable sin. Judas’ mistake was that he didn’t believe it. That’s why he hanged himself. If Judas had gone under the cross, do you think Jesus would have been furious with him? The sight of Jesus would have been a sight of love. If Judas had begged for forgiveness, Jesus would have forgiven him.
Peace is the total of all God’s gifts. Jesus wants to enrich us with his peace. In the silence of our hearts, let us say now that we long for peace. Let us forgive ourselves for our thoughts, words, and deeds in which there has been no peace on our part. Let us ask for peace from God and those around us. Let us be reconciled and forgive our brothers and sisters. Let us forsake anger and all restlessness of heart. Let us pray, ask and give thanks. Let us not leave the temple today until we have received the peace of Christ. It is appropriate that we renounce all sin now. This is what Jesus asks and expects of us.

The hidden camera – our conscience is working. Rightly so, for our benefit. Peace and brotherly love to be among us.