- John 14:27-31a
There are many things we want in life. But, in "here and now" terms, the one thing we want most of all is inner peace.
We know this world is not perfect (any more than we are perfect). We know that there is pain and suffering. We know that loves is sometimes fragile and our hearts will be broken. We know all about sickness and setbacks and failure. We know we will make mistakes along the way and often have no excuse.
But, oh, beneath all of this, to have a deep-down inner peace. Not a false peace (and you can tell the difference), but an honest to goodness deep-down peace. That is what we want most of all. Honestly, we could handle all the rest if we could just have that kind of peace.
Look again at the Gospel passage above. Jesus promises his disciples - including us (!) - a peace that drink and drugs and false compliments and distractions and daydreaming cannot give. He promises a peace that goes to the roots, to the core of who we are.
Read the text one more time, and hear Jesus speak your name when he says, "[Your name], my peace I give to you."
Jesus doesn't make false promises.
- Little White Book, Diocese of Saginaw