Trusting in His Peace

A Reflection on the Gospel for Sunday, May 25th, 2025:
Sixth Sunday of Easter

---

John
14.23-29

​Jesus said to his disciples: “Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; and the word that you hear is not mine, but is from the Father who sent me.

“I have said these things to you while I am still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you.

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.

“You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I am coming to you.’ If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I. And now I have told you this before it occurs, so that when it does occur, you may believe.”

Pause. Pray. Reflect.

Am I the only person who has looked at life and thought “What the heck is going on?” Obviously, we all question the world we live in right now and how crazy it all seems. We may wonder what could possibly happen next and when it will feel “normal” again. I am asking the question about my own life, about the things I experience personally that make me wonder if I am the only one who seems to have missed a critical message/explanation along the way.
  
I remember in school I was taking a bookkeeping course and I could not keep debit and credit straight in my head for some reason. I am old – debit cards were just beginning to be  commonplace, and that seemed to be messing with my understanding. Everyone else seemed to be moving along fine but I had this constant feeling that I had missed a day where it was all explained fully and just could not grasp it! Eventually I found the answer and got the terminology sorted in my head, but that feeling of being a step behind everyone else was very frustrating and felt like it was just going to be the life I lived. 

As I read today’s Gospel I feel much consolation from the words of Jesus. I see in this passage and others like it that the Apostles were not getting the message that Jesus was sending out. He is speaking of going away and coming back and a peace not like the world knows, etc. My consolation in this scripture comes from two things: first, the Holy Spirit comes to teach and remind. Second, that the Apostles eventually (although perhaps not perfectly) seemed to catch on! 

So how do I walk through all the questions, the misunderstanding, and confusion? PEACE! A gift that God bestows upon us and is not something we can truly get anywhere else. It isn’t in the world; it isn’t from worldly things. Peace is a gift that we are given – if we seek it. 

Because it isn’t from this world, that peace isn’t going to “feel” as I assume peace would feel. But I must remember that peace comes in the midst of storms and difficulties, not in place of them. 

Each of us needs to seek HIS peace, trust that it is given, and live in that peace. Even if I only have the faith the size of a mustard seed to believe in this peace, it will come. 

Jesus, I trust in You.




Sister Teresa MacDonald

---