As we heard moments ago, while the disciples were learning how two of them had encountered the risen Christ in the breaking of bread in Emmaus, Jesus stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
Shalom was and is a common greeting amongst many people. We yearn for peace in this troubled world of ours. Each time Mass is celebrated, we hear those same words, spoken just before receiving Holy Communion, “Lord, Jesus Christ, you said to your apostles, ‘I leave you peace, my peace I give you.’”
Jesus gives us this peace because we need and yearn for it in our daily lives. Consider what shape our world is in: another mass shooting last week claimed the lives of eight people. We have seen shootings, demonstrations, conflict between police and protestors. The pandemic, despite many vaccinations, is far from over, so life has yet to return to normal. Meanwhile, we are stressed by domestic and foreign upheavals. More than ever, we need to hear Jesus’ timeless greeting: “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give you.”
His peace is the antidote we need to meet the endemic diseases of our times, namely stress, depression, and anxiety. We have been impacted by these diseases, even if we haven’t been personally diagnosed as having any of them. Fortunately, we can be healed of them beause Jesus brings us peace in more ways than one.
First, he brings us peace of mind. He asked the apostles, “Why are you troubled? And why do questions arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me and see, because a ghost doesn’t have flesh and bones as you can see I have.” Ponder his wounds and know that his forgiveness is everlasting. Once he forgives our sins, we are truly forgiven. Our conscience can then be at rest.
Secondly, Jesus brings us peace for our hearts. Looking at his wounds, we are reminded that we are unconditionally and personally loved. He died on the cross after enduring such a cruel passion because he unconditionally loves us.
Third, Jesus offers us peace for our souls, assuring us that someday we will experience the fullness of eternal life, and that our bodies, free of any infirmities of this lifetime, will be forever united with our souls in his kingdom.
In this Easter season, we need the peace of the resurrected Christ, knowing as we heard in the psalm, “you alone, O Lord, bring security to my dwelling.”
How does Christ do this? He gives us the peace we long for because he offers us a friendship that is everlasting and solid. Everything else in the world is passing and limited. Even good, faithful relationships are vulnerable. Not only can sickness and death snatch them away from us, but even misunderstandings and disagreements can prompt a parting of the ways. Such experiences can be painful when friends you once counted on choose instead to sever their ties rather than reconcile. But that is something Jesus would never do. He suffered, died, and rose from the dead so that we could experience peace of mind, heart, and soul.
If that is so, why do we still find ourselves overcome by stress, anxiety, and discouragement at times? Alas, many obstacles can inhibit the flow of Christ’s peace into our lives.
The most obvious is sin. For this reason, St. John offers timely advice so that we may not sin. Simple yet profound advice: keep the commandments. When they are kept, they provide the opportunity for Christ’s peace to permeate our being. They are God’s blueprints to insure happiness.
Sin creeps into our lives in other ways such as when we choose to ignore certain church teachings on faith and morals, like the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, abortion, fornication or racism. We may find many reasons to justify our resistance but rejecting Church teachings is a rejection of Christ’s saving truth. Its like telling God that we trust him a little bit in some things, but we trust CNN more in other things. Then and now, Christ endeavors to open our minds and hearts to better understand God’s ways.
Subtle habits of sins can take on other forms like slacking off instead of giving our best at work, in our family relations and our friendships. Or wasting inordinate amounts of time on entertainment, gossip, addictions such as gambling, alcohol or pornography. All the while finding too little time for prayer.
If we are not experiencing the peace of Christ’s resurrected life, maybe we need to so some spring cleaning in our souls. The best disinfectant for that is reconciliation. As St. Peter urged, “Repent, and be converted, that your sins may be wiped away.” Lent is over but the need and opportunity for seeking God’s absolution is always present, just as the temptation to sin is always present in our lives.
Along with peace, forgiveness is one of the prime gifts the risen Lord offers us. Allow Christ the opportunity to bring peace into your life through the sacrament of reconciliation. Don’t hesitate to ask for the grace to seek his forgiveness and experience his peace. “Peace be with you” is Jesus’ blessing to you always. Shalom! Be at peace, be whole, and share Christ’s peace with others in what you say and do.