In the Gospel today Jesus says to the disciples ‘my own peace I give you, a peace the world cannot give. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid’. Sometimes we are overburdened with the cares of this world but the message of Good News prompts us to slow down and listen to the words of Jesus. He welcomes us just as we are and gives us the gift of his serene peace, something we can sometimes struggle to find in the noise and clutter of our everyday lives.
Jesus also tells his disciples ‘those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.’ We too must be faithful to the Word of God and witnesses of his love to grow in faith and be recognised as Christians by the world at large. This is the essence of living the Christian life. To love as Jesus did is a radical decision, we need to step out of our comfort zone and meet people where they are at in our society. We must be prepared to go to those on the margins – the poor, the forgotten, the disillusioned and reach out to them with the same unconditional love that the Lord has for us.
Of course this it is not easy to do but we should never feel alone or afraid to let Christ more and more into our lives. He promises us that whatever we ask from him we will receive. He is the true vine and we who choose to believe in him are his living branches. We can trust in him completely for his love has no end. All we need to do is make a renewed act of faith each time we receive him in the Eucharist by giving to him all that we are and allowing ourselves transformed by the power of his love. He is truly present, and when we remain with him our faith increases. We can entrust all of our fears, worries, cares and concerns to Jesus who loves us unconditionally and promises us the gift of eternal life when we follow him.
“Let us ask the Lord always to direct our minds and hearts to him, as living stones of the Church, so that all that we do, our whole Christian life, may be a luminous witness to his mercy and love. In this way we will make our way towards the goal of our earthly pilgrimage, towards that extremely beautiful shrine, the heavenly Jerusalem”. – Pope Francis 5th May 2013
