20150505 THE PEACE OF CHRIST

20150505 THE PEACE OF CHRIST

Readings at Mass

First reading

Acts 14:19-28 ©

Some Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium, and turned the people against the apostles. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the town, thinking he was dead. The disciples came crowding round him but, as they did so, he stood up and went back to the town. The next day he and Barnabas went off to Derbe.

  Having preached the Good News in that town and made a considerable number of disciples, they went back through Lystra and Iconium to Antioch. They put fresh heart into the disciples, encouraging them to persevere in the faith. ‘We all have to experience many hardships’ they said ‘before we enter the kingdom of God.’ In each of these churches they appointed elders, and with prayer and fasting they commended them to the Lord in whom they had come to believe.

  They passed through Pisidia and reached Pamphylia. Then after proclaiming the word at Perga they went down to Attalia and from there sailed for Antioch, where they had originally been commended to the grace of God for the work they had now completed.

  On their arrival they assembled the church and gave an account of all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith to the pagans. They stayed there with the disciples for some time.

Psalm

Psalm 144:10-13,21 ©

Your friends, O Lord, shall make known the glorious splendour of your reign.

or

Alleluia!

All your creatures shall thank you, O Lord,

  and your friends shall repeat their blessing.

They shall speak of the glory of your reign

  and declare your might, O God,

to make known to men your mighty deeds

  and the glorious splendour of your reign.

Your friends, O Lord, shall make known the glorious splendour of your reign.

or

Alleluia!

Yours is an everlasting kingdom;

  your rule lasts from age to age.

Your friends, O Lord, shall make known the glorious splendour of your reign.

or

Alleluia!

Let me speak the praise of the Lord,

  let all mankind bless his holy name

  for ever, for ages unending.

Your friends, O Lord, shall make known the glorious splendour of your reign.

or

Alleluia!

Gospel Acclamation

cf.Lk24:46,26

Alleluia, alleluia!

It was ordained that the Christ should suffer

and rise from the dead,

and so enter into his glory.

Alleluia!

Gospel

John 14:27-31 ©

Jesus said to his disciples:

‘Peace I bequeath to you, my own peace I give you,

a peace the world cannot give,

this is my gift to you.

Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.

You heard me say: I am going away, and shall return.

If you loved me you would have been glad to know that I am going to the Father,

for the Father is greater than I.

I have told you this now before it happens,

so that when it does happen you may believe.

I shall not talk with you any longer,

because the prince of this world is on his way.

He has no power over me,

but the world must be brought to know

that I love the Father

and that I am doing exactly what the Father told me.’

THE PEACE OF CHRIST

SCRIPTURE READINGS: ACTS 14:19-28; JOHN 14:27-31

We are all looking for peace.  We find life so stressful. There is no peace at home or at work.  The world longs for peace yet peace seems to be so elusive.  Where can we find real and lasting peace in this world?  In the gospel, Jesus says He has come to give us the peace that the world cannot give.  “Peace I bequeath to you, my own peace I give you, a peace the world cannot give, this is my gift to you.”

What, then, is the difference between the peace of the world and that of Christ?  We must first ask what the nature of this peace is.  

Peace in the world is pacification.  It means live and let live.  It is a fragile peace.  The peace of the world founded on relativism is a superficial peace as it is built on sand.  It is a delicate peace because there is no common foundation to found this peace.  This is true in family life and in offices.  There is no real unity but peaceful co-existence.  We are told that we must be politically correct in what we say and do.  But can there be peace without truth?

The world also thinks that peace is found when there is no more activity, that is, when we are free from all responsibilities in life.  If that were the case, this can only happen in death and so we say to one who dies, “May he rest in peace.”   This is false peace.  When peace is a state of inactivity, living in a shadowy state of life, whether on this earth or in the next life, it is tantamount to a life in hell.  What kind of life is that when we live like animals, eat, sleep and do nothing?  We will eventually rot, not just mentally but physically.   Such a life is not worth living.  This explains why those who retire early and are not involved in activities will face all kinds of problems, emotional, physical and spiritual.  So we must not think that retirement from work will give us peace.  On the contrary, we can find ourselves creating problems within the family and the community.

Thirdly, peace in the understanding of the world means there is no more pain, suffering problems and challenges in life.  How can there be growth if there is no pain?  All things that are alive and growing need to grow through some form of struggles which involve some kind of pain.

So what is the peace of Christ?  It is the peace that is primarily founded in God.  That is the sure foundation of His peace.  Jesus said, “You heard me say: I am going away, and shall return. If you loved me you would have been glad to know that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. I have told you this now before it happens, so that when it does happen you may believe.”   Jesus was not afraid of death.  He was not fearful of suffering.  He knew where He belonged.  He knew His place is in the Father’s house.

He knew the Evil one has no power over Him and that death is not the last word.  “I shall not talk with you any longer, because the prince of this world is on his way. He has no power over me.”   Like the responsorial psalm, Jesus prayed, “Your friends, O Lord, shall make known the glorious splendour of your reign.”   Indeed, such is the relationship of Jesus with His Father that He did not live in anxiety and fear of His future.  So in the midst of troubles, persecutions and even failures, He was very much at peace within Himself and with His Father because He knew the Father would triumph over all evil.

Secondly, His peace is found in loving His Father, which entails doing what He did.  He said, “The world must be brought to know that I love the Father and that I am doing exactly what the Father told me.”  Peace comes from doing God’s will, but more, by imitating the Father’s love.  Peace is anything but inactivity. Peace is found in self-emptying love, not a masked love of self.  If there is no peace in love it is because we love ourselves more than in loving others.  If spouse and parents find no peace in loving and sacrificing themselves for their loved ones, it is because such service is masked by self-love, as the love is conditional.  But lest we misunderstand, this activity is different from motion.  Activity is rooted in love and service whereas motion is aimless activities done without right motivation.  Such motion is not truly activity as it is rooted in boredom and insecurity, not love.

Thirdly, it is a peace that is found within suffering, because the pursuit of love, truth and service for the good of others demands suffering.  This peace is not freedom from pain.  On the contrary, it requires much sacrifices and suffering.  But it is a joyful pain because it springs from and for love.

Fourthly, it is a peace that comes from purification in love.  Jesus learnt obedience through suffering, from the cross to the resurrection.  St Paul says, “We all have to experience many hardships’ they said ‘before we enter the kingdom of God.”   Indeed, peace is the result of many attempts to reconcile our lives with our beliefs.  It is a slow process of purification in love.

Today, we must learn from the examples of the apostles and the early Christians.  It is this inner peace and security in them that explains the courage and perseverance of the apostles. Paul was not deterred from the attacks of his enemies.  He remained firm in his mission.  We read that “some Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium, and turned the people against the apostles. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the town, thinking he was dead. The disciples came crowding round him but, as they did so, he stood up and went back to the town.” That does not mean recklessness and putting God to the test.  The apostles were sober and sensible.  “The next day he and Barnabas went off to Derbe.”

What is important is that the difficulties and obstacles they faced did not stop them from finding new ways and places to proclaim the gospel.  They did not lament that they were persecuted and blamed God for abandoning them.  Rather, they saw as an opportunity to venture elsewhere to proclaim the gospel.  They were forced to move out.  “Having preached the Good News in that town and made a considerable number of disciples, they went back through Lystra and Iconium to Antioch.”

Instead of feeling discouraged, St Paul gave encouragement to the Christians instead.  He was always positive in outlook.   “They put fresh heart into the disciples, encouraging them to persevere in the faith.  They found joy in suffering for the gospel. 

What is the secret?  It is the love of God and trust in Him wrought by prayer and fasting.  We read that “in each of these churches they appointed elders, and with prayer and fasting they commended them to the Lord in whom they had come to believe.”  Indeed, at the end of the day, a faith that overcomes all problems is possible only through prayer and fasting.  Prayer unites us with the Lord and fasting strengthens our dependence on His power and grace.

Secondly, peace is ours when we learn to trust in God completely, like the apostles, by commending everything to the Lord.  “Then after proclaiming the word at Perga they went down to Attalia and from there sailed for Antioch, where they had originally been commended to the grace of God for the work they had now completed.”

Finally, to find peace, we need our fellow Christians to give us fraternal support.  Through prayer, fellowship and testimony of God’s works, they found strength and encouragement.  This was how they encouraged each other.  “On their arrival they assembled the church and gave an account of all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith to the pagans. They stayed there with the disciples for some time.”   Indeed, giving praise and thanksgiving to God is the way to find peace.  “All your creatures shall thank you, O Lord, and your friends shall repeat their blessing. They shall speak of the glory of your reign and declare your might, O God, to make known to men your mighty deeds and the glorious splendour of your reign.”

Written by The Most Rev William Goh

Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore

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