Being at Peace in these Trying Times [Tuesday of the Fifth Week of Easter]

JESUS PRAYING.
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"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

In our article written for the Thursday in the Octave of Easter, we discussed that the resurrected Christ brings peace. There we stated that

"the peace which the Risen Lord brings is a peace which is in accordance with the Father's will and design, not on merely human understanding".

It is not in accordance with worldly peace also. It is not a peace due to conformity with the world, or a mere desire for quiet or absence of war, of not having open conflict or of the non-existence of trouble. Rather, it is a peace that even when all of these negative concepts and realities may reign, the Christian still find serenity, calmness, courage and joy. The peace of the Risen Christ is not a negation of pain, trouble or terror but the courage to face all these with the joy of ultimately acquiring salvation after all the pain, trouble or terror. Such peace kept the martyrs steadfast in their faith and sustains the encourage of many Christian even today in places where they are not truly free to exercise the Faith.

With that promised peace, we are admonished to remain firm and courageous: not be fearful or worried. For we, Christians, will always be under constant threat of persecutions even among those who claim to bear the name Christian but in their actions do what their true father, the devil, does [see John 8:44, also 6:70; 1 John 3:10]. But with the Father's love [see John 3:16], the Lord Jesus Christ's peace [see John 14;27], and the Holy Spirit's guidance [see Luke 12:12], we shall prevail for after all, our Lord has already conquered the world [see John 16:33]. Moreover, our enemies might be able to destroy our bodies but won't be able to harm our soul; so we rather remain faithful to the One who could destroy both in hell [see Matthew 10:28; Luke 12:5].

"Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid" assures the Lord. As Christians we cannot disregard this for our faith requires our maximum trust and confidence in Him. Any sign of lack of faith would distract us from achieving true peace, that peace which only Him can ever give, and become worrisome and fearful even in the face of trivial terror.

Let us ask the Lord that He may grant us that peace so that even amid the many trials that we are experiencing right now we may remain serene, calm and joyful.