No matter how good and peaceful a person you are, you simply can’t avoid conflicts in this life. There always will be some people who hold contrary views to your beliefs, to your culture. There are people who, despite your best intention, might try to accuse you of wrongdoing. In the gospel today we read about Jesus appointing seventy-two disciples and entrusting them with a very specific mission and clear instructions. The Lord warns them that despite their best intention of bringing peace and love with them, they may be rejected or hated by others. Don’t worry, Jesus said. “If a peaceful person lives there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you.” Just like those disciples, we today are called to bring peace to this world. And in a similar way, we might be hated and rejected. But we can’t let that bad experience cause a loss of that sense of peace that is in our hearts. Even if others reject us, we must remind peaceful.
