Have Peace

Have Peace

May 13, 2013

Monday of the Seventh Week of Easter

[Paul] said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?”  They answered him, “We have never even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”  He said, “How were you baptized?”  They replied, “With the baptism of John.”  Paul then said, “John baptized with a baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus.”  When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.  Acts 19:2-5

Jesus answered them, “Do you believe now?  Behold, the hour is coming and has arrived when each of you will be scattered to his own home and you will leave me alone.  But I am not alone, because the Father is with me.  I have told you this so that you might have peace in me.  In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world.”  John 16:31-33

Piety

Man's hands and his plans have made this world what it is today
We've built sky high shining towers and fill our hours with idle ways

Lord we finally moved the mountain not with faith but with machines
And we're always looking for ways to fulfill our earthly dreams

Not even heaven's been untouched by our hands
Thank God the only man made thing in heaven
Are the scars on Jesus' hands. (Linda Hargrove – “Only Man Made Thing in Heaven”)

Study

In the world, you will have trouble.

In Jesus Christ, you will have peace.

Today’s readings set up an interesting, three-way tug-of-war.  First is the internal struggle each of us have with our own selfish nature – a nature inclined to take the easy way out when faced with an obstacle to friendship with Christ.  John the Baptist asked the people to change the direction in which they sought happiness.  He wanted us to turn away from our inner desires. 

Jesus takes that battle a giant step forward. Jesus recognized that additional obstacles to His friendship also were erected by the world.  So not only do we need to conquer our own internal demons, but also we had to overcome the forces in the world which supplied those demons.  

Each one of us is pulling one rope against ourselves.  We also are pulling another rope against the world. But where these two come together, Jesus stands on this holy ground with us.  He has conquered the world and we will have victory with Him.  Both sets of obstacles are made by us.  Both sets of obstacles require grace to overcome.

Action

Which set up obstacles will you fight today?  One or both?

We are the author of the life that we lead.  In our internal and external struggles, we must turn to both God and our community for assistance.

Bishop Thomas Gumbleton, in a recent homily given at St. Hilary, Redford, Michigan, said, “Try to listen deeply to what God is telling us about these things that are going on in the world around us.”  Such active listening will not only bring about change in ourselves, but it also will help us to try to bring about this change in our church and in the world.