“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.” – John 14:27
Modern people go through all sorts of trouble in an effort to find the ever elusive goal of peace. We hang upon every word of the television gurus and snatch up self-help books like they’re going out of style. We try all the latest herbal remedies and wonder drugs.
We fall for magazine covers and blog posts that promise “7 Easy Steps for Finding Peace” or “5 New Yoga Poses for Serenity Now!” Perhaps it is just the result of living in an industrial world, but we seem to think that, as long as we hit the right buttons, peace will simply pop out of a machine.
But, try as we might, we cannot find peace of our own accord. As Saint John tells us in his Gospel, peace is a gift from God. No matter how many books we read, baths we take, or drugs we buy, we will not know peace unless God gives it to us.
And indeed, He does give it to us, but in a way that is very different than how the world usually works (John 14:27). The powers of the world try to trade with us: “I will give you peace, if only you give me your money, your mind, your body, your soul.” But the Lord does not make deals; He gives gifts. Jesus only offers us Himself, expecting nothing in return. The peace of Christ is not based upon what we do; it is found in Who He is.
Who is He? He is the Lamb of God. This pastoral image easily evokes the idea of peace, with the verdant pastures and flowing streams of Psalm 23. But if we dig even deeper, we will find that such unsurpassable peace rests upon an immeasurable power. For, we are not talking about any ordinary little lamb. Jesus is the Lamb – the Lamb who was slain, the Innocent Victim who vanquished death and won victory over the grave (Rev. 5:6). His triumph and His glory are our peace.
In the Second Reading for this Sunday, which comes from the Book of Revelation, Saint John describes the vision of heaven and the Lamb that was revealed to him. He says:
I saw no temple in the city for its temple is the Lord God almighty and the Lamb. The city had no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gave it light, and its lamp was the Lamb.
The Lamb is the only Light that can illuminate the darkness of this world. It is these shadows that stifle our serenity and steal our peace. Ultimately, all we can do is wait, with unfailing hope, for the coming of our Savior and the glorious day when “the dawn from on high will break upon us… to guide our feet into the way of peace” (Luke 1:78-79).
Father, in your mercy, illuminate the path before us and grant us the gift of your peace, through Christ our Lord. Amen, alleluia!
