“If you cannot find peace within yourself, you will never find it anywhere else.”

A great means to preserve continual peace and tranquility of soul is to receive everything from the hands of God, both great and small, and in whatever way it comes. - St. Dorotheus

Gospel Text: (JN 14:27-31A)
Jesus said to his disciples:
“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.’
If you loved me,
you would rejoice that I am going to the Father;
for the Father is greater than I.
And now I have told you this before it happens,
so that when it happens you may believe.
I will no longer speak much with you,
for the ruler of the world is coming.
He has no power over me,
but the world must know that I love the Father
and that I do just as the Father has commanded me.”

Jesus is the Prince of Peace. At his birth the angels sang, “Glory to God in the highest and peace on earth to men of good will.” His constant admonition was, “Fear not…Do not worry…Be not afraid it is I…Go in peace your sins are forgiven…Blessed are the peacemakers.” When he sent his disciples out to preach he told them: “When you enter a house say, ‘Peace be to this house.’” In his last discourse he told his disciples, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.” After he had risen from the dead his constant greeting was, “Peace be with you.”

Peace, peace and there is no peace. Where is this peace? It is not to be found in the world. It is not to be found in the absence of violence, terrorism and war. If you are waiting for peace in the world, don’t hold your breath. Given human nature and man’s proven capacity for evil it is not a bright prospect.

Peace is not to be found in other people. Yet, how often our peace depends on the mind and the lips of other people; on what they think or say about us. How foolish is human respect whether it be the fear of criticism, ridicule or failure or the inordinate desire of human praise, honor and esteem.

Peace is not to be found in myself. “I see a law in my body warring against the law in my mind…the good I will I do not, the evil I will not I do.” (Romans 7: 13-24) When I look at myself I get discouraged. I realize that I do not have it all together. My experience tells me that I am a bundle of contradictions.

The peace of Christ is not to be found in the world, in others or in myself. It is not the result of human effort. It is a gift of Jesus.

Having a close friendship with Jesus that draws you to Mass every Sunday will bring you peace. We are not just bodies; we are body and soul, and we will never be fully happy unless we have God in our life. St Augustine said “You have made us for yourself O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You.” Those who say that Sunday Mass is not important, that what is important is doing good, are missing out on the soul of life. Jesus is not a burden to anyone, he is a blessing, and those who say that what matters is doing good, would do far more good if they had more of Jesus in their lives.

“Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.”