DAILY PRAYER

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid. You heard me tell you, ‘I am going away and I will come back to you’”  (Jn 14:27-28).

Jesus excused Himself from His Apostles to die.  He knew what they were going to go through — and the heartfelt feelings they would have been left “alone,” having been parted from His friendship and Presence.  He also knew that, upon reflection, His disciples would feel incredibly guilty for having essentially done nothing to protect their Master from His enemies when they came to take Him away.

Nevertheless, Jesus tells them that He will always leave those who love Him with a divinely inspired peace.

Yet the Apostle’s suffering was to be a spiritual preparation they would need for an interior renovation — a renovation soon to come about through the Easter glory and the Descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. “I say to you, you will weep and mourn, while the world rejoices; you will grieve, but your grief will become joy” (Jn 16:20).

Jesus, throughout the Passion and suffering, maintained heartfelt peace in His Heart through the conviction that He must do the will of His Heavenly Father. 

We too need to seek His divine peace through our love and obedience to Him.

Reflection and commentary

Psalm 29:1 “May the LORD give might to his people; may the LORD bless his people with peace!”  St. Pius V, Pope d. 1572. Great role in the Council of Trent and the counter-reformation. He declared Thomas Aquinas a Doctor of the Church.Vigorously defended the faith and the border of the then, Papal States.

OUR PRAYER CONTINUES