Tuesday of the 5 week of Easter ‘b’

Jn 14:27-31a

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you.” Often, we pray for peace. There is so much hatred, revenge, and wars in this world, so we ask God for peace in our homes, our cities, our countries and in the world. Jesus is offering us peace, but a different kind of peace, not the one we long for nor ask for. He is offering us eternal peace, a peace that will last forever, for all eternity. For those who have passed away we pray ‘rest in peace’. And even though we may not think about it, it is in that very short prayer that we ask, not for the kind of worldly peace that we would like to have, but for peace eternal. “Eternal peace grant unto them, O Lord.” Jesus words are the words of hope, a hope that after leaving this world, which never has been and never will be peaceful, Jesus will reward us with peace beyond this world, even beyond our imagination.