“Peace be with you,” Jesus greets his disciples after the Resurrection when he enters the locked room where they are cowering in fear. “Peace be with you,” he says again.
Initially, when Jesus told his friends he was leaving peace
with them, he was preparing them for his death. Over and over Jesus warned his
followers about what was to come. He
wanted to comfort them. In John 14:
27-29 Jesus says: “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.
You heard me tell you, 'I am going away and I will come back to you.’ If you
loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father; for the Father is
greater than I. And now I have told you this before it happens, so that when it
happens you may believe.”
What is this peace that Jesus is talking about? It is not
peace, as our world understands it. The
peace that Jesus gives does not grant us immunity from pain and suffering, or
even death, rather it enables us to face all these painful realities and
triumph over them in union with the victory of Christ himself. Just as Jesus
comes to the disciples hiding behind locked doors he comes to us today bringing
his peace and empowering us to rejoice in his Resurrection. He invites us to share in his Resurrection
and life of glory with the Father and the Holy Spirit. He invites us to join his pain and suffering
with our own pain and suffering so that dying with him we may also rise with
him and share in that peace which the world cannot give.
Today is Divine Mercy Sunday, a day when we reflect on the
mercy and love of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
As we continue our journey of faith during this week let this be our
prayer.
Prayer of Entrustment
to the Divine Mercy
O Lord, our God.
We place our trust in You,
Because you are mercy itself.
We repent of our sins and turn to You for mercy.
We trust You to provide for our every need, according to Your will.
Help us to forgive others as You forgive us.
We promise to be merciful by our deeds, words and prayers.
Though we have fears because of human weakness, we rely on Your infinite
goodness and mercy.
We entrust to You the future of our planet, our Church, our nations, our
families and all our needs.
With loud cries, we implore your mercy on us and on the whole world.
Look upon us, created in your image and likeness.
Form us in the Heart of Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit into the living
images of mercy.
May all come to know the depth of Your mercy and sing the praises of Your mercy
forever.
Amen!
