Troubles?...but let not our hearts be troubled!
Acts 14: 19-28; Jn 14: 27-31a
"It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the Kingdom of God," say Sts. Paul and Barnaba (Acts 14:22). Elsewhere in the Acts (see 5:41) we read, "they rejoiced that they were considered worthy to suffer dishonour for the sake of the name" of Jesus, after having received severe flogging.
In the Gospel today, after giving his peace, the Lord instructs: 'do not let your hearts be troubled!', for the peace that he gives us is not the peace that the world gives: a peace of compromises and conveniences, a peace of inaction and suspicious silence! But the Peace that Christ gives us is the peace of the Reign, the peace that comes from Justice and Equality, peace that comes from true love and compassion. It is no contract of just war or war against terrorism; but a total cessation of war or corruption or injustice or any inhumanity! Jesus has given it to us as he promised! It is enshrined in the Word. True love for entire humanity and compassion for the least and the last.
Our call is to spread it, take it to every heart that longs, to every corner of the earth. In doing it, we will face troubles, floggings, stonings, criticisms, threats and presecutions. The times are coming for that and let not our hearts be troubled!