Go in the peace of Christ, Alleluia. Alleluia.
Thanks be to God, Alleluia. Alleluia.
These are the final words Catholics hear at Mass on Easter Sunday. (Maybe other faith traditions hear them as well.) Aren’t they wonderful? For this day, through the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, we are invited to share in His peace. It is NOT the peace of our world which is here today and gone tomorrow. Rather, it is the peace which only God can give; a peace that lasts forever. I’m praying especially that this year this resurrection peace touches every area of our lives. May it touch our world that is so often filled with violence. May it come to rest on our country where we find so much strife. May His peace come to rest on our communities, the places where we work, and in our homes. Most of all, may the peace brought by the resurrection of Jesus take up residence in our hearts. This is the peace that brings freedom from worry and anxiety. It is the peace that conquers sadness and discouragement. It allows us to be gentle with ourselves and with others. And it is this peace that frees us from all that separates us from God.
Still, many of us live with a lack of peace in our lives. This is natural because sometimes the challenges of our world and of our lives can get the better of us. Indeed, it would be most strange if sometimes they didn’t. It is in these times especially that we need God’s peace the most. What’s needed then is a program for peace.
First and foremost, we must pray! When we pray our hearts are opened that we might receive the peace which Jesus longs for us to have. The lesson here is that we can’t manufacture peace on our own. It is a gift offered to each of us. Why? Because God loves us and desires more than anything to be with us – especially in times of trouble. Peace, then, is something we welcome, and it is prayer that disposes us to do just that.
A second way we welcome His peace is by reaching out to one another. Have you ever noticed that when you are helping someone else you are thinking less about yourself? When we assist those in need, our focus shifts. When we help someone else, we discover that God is working through us to touch the lives of others. Further, we are promised that we will encounter the Lord in the ones we serve, and this helps us to know that God is with us as well.
Finally, we must acknowledge that God sends his peace to us in the ones who love us and assist us in our times of need. It’s so important to know that we are not alone in our struggles. In fact, the truth is just the opposite. It’s when I’m hurting most that God sends good people my way to support me and give me life. Here, the ones who love us are a source of peace offered to us by God.
So, this year I’m praying for peace! I’m praying that you might know the richness of the peace of Christ deep within your hearts. I’m praying that we might be a source of peace for our world in these times of challenge. I’m praying that God’s peace might descend on one and all this Easter season.
Go in the peace of Christ, Alleluia. Alleluia.
Thanks be to God, Alleluia. Alleluia.