Reflection/Homily:
Sixth (6th) Sunday of Easter Year C (May 5 2013)
Theme:
Peace: An Indispensable Gift
Peace is an
indispensable gift that every individual seeking to make a reasonable progress
in his/her life requires. It is indispensable for every society seeking growth
and development. In fact, peace is a sine
qua non for an authentic existence and that is why in the gospel reading
(John 14:23-29) it became Jesus’ precious gift to his disciples before he left
them. Over the centuries, Church leaders have fought strenuously, to maintain
this gift of peace not just in the Church but in the society where the Church
exists.
Pope John XXIII in
his encyclical letter Pacem in Terris observes
that one of the greatest threats to world peace is the invention of nuclear
weapons and he thus called for the abolition of such nuclear weapons that man
may live happily without fear in the world the maker has place him in charge
of. But today, we observe that in almost every corner of our society peace is
disturbed. So many nations are still fighting each other. There is violence and
social unrest almost everywhere. Most Families are under serious moral and
socio-cultural attack and most individuals have lost the sense of peace. The
language the modern man understands is nothing but violence and conflict.
Today, Jesus not only
promises us peace but he equally gives us the precious and indispensable gift
of his peace. Jesus’ peace is not the peace achieved after several years in
court, it is rather the peace that is inspired by the tranquility of the Holy
Spirit. The Holy Spirit who is the Advocate will teach them the need for peace
and will remind them all that Jesus taught and practiced about peace. To give
this advocate the chance to do this in our lives, we have to genuinely love God
and obey his commandments.
