May 25: The Day of the Lord

“Peace I leave you, my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives it do I give it to you. Don’t let your hearts be troubled or afraid.” (John 14, 23-29)

Too often, we think of peace as simply the absence of conflict. And clearly, an end to war and violence is a good thing. Many of us have prayed for a long time for peace in the Middle East, peace in Ukraine, peace in our community, and even peace in our homes. Such prayers are never offered, however, just so that conflict will cease, for a time. Real peace takes work.

The peace which Jesus offers is a peace binds together and motivates our Christian community, calling us into a living relationship which is rooted in love for one another and the passionate desire for the good of all. His peace rests upon justice, respect, forgiveness, and patience. Our willingness, readiness, and desire for that justice is the first step toward His peace, but there are many more steps to be taken to actually realize that peace.

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Take a look this week at how Christ’s peace begins to blossom when these things happen: when we are willing to listen rather than talk; when we choose to whisper rather than shout; when we are willing to wait and hope, to forgive and forget, to laugh at ourselves and dry the tears of another; and when we are willing to welcome without fear, and to wonder in awe at the diversity and beauty of God’s creation. If we are willing to be peacemakers in these ways, we may very well find ourselves heading back to where we started – in paradise – with a taste of the Kingdom of God ... and a lasting peace.