Breaking the Word

5^th week in Easter Time, Tuesday – 17^th May 2022 — Gospel: Jn 14,27-31

Greater Peace

The peace that Jesus offers is not like that of the world. In the worldly sense, peace is absence of conflict or worry. The best we can expect from the natural world is unfairness and death (Rom 8,20; Jas 4,14; Ps 73,3). Even attempts to be moral lead only to frustration (2 Cor 7,10). Since it is Jesus who gives peace, we know that it is something greater. The peace that Jesus is telling his disciples is a peace that comes from trusting the Father. As he faced his Passion, Jesus instructed, “Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.” His example shows us that peace does not depend on everything going right in our lives, but rather it is rooted in trust in the Father’s goodness and his desire for our ultimate happiness. Jesus wants us to experience this peace in the midst of the trials of our lives by placing our trust completely in the Father. In another sense, Jesus’s peace refers to a hope and reassurance that goes beyond what a fallen world can offer (Phil 4,7). It is permanent, guaranteed, and eternal (Heb 6,18-19).

5^th week in Easter Time, Monday – 16^th May 2022 — Gospel: Jn 14,21-26

Spirit of Fulfillment

By observing the commandments of Jesus, we enter into the Trinitarian relationship. The Spirit is first of all a gift from God, but a gift that must be accepted through one’s loving, active response to God’s word. Since the Spirit of truth is the ongoing presence and revelation of God, it primarily does two things: to teach all things and to remind all that Jesus said. Though Jesus taught his followers many things throughout his public ministry, they were unable to understand the heart of his teaching. Therefore, the assistance of the Spirit is needed not only to understand Jesus’ teachings but to deepen its mystery as well. In reminding Jesus’ sayings, the Spirit also brings to remembrance what the believers have forgotten. Therefore, the Spirit does not make revelations of new notions, but brings to fulfillment what has already been revealed and taught by Jesus.