Friends,
in today’s Gospel Jesus promises peace to his disciples who would
abandon him at his arrest. "Behold, the hour is coming and has arrived
when each of you will be scattered . . . and you will leave me alone.
But I am not alone, because the Father is with me. I have told you this
so that you might have peace in me."
And
Jesus’ prophecy is fulfilled at the Resurrection. The disciples are
gathered in the upper room, that place of fear, and suddenly Jesus is in
their midst. What is the reaction of the disciples? They are afraid.
And no wonder: they had abandoned him.
In
the face of this fear, Jesus does two simple things. First, he shows
his wounds. Second, he offers his peace. Both are important. By the
first action, he reminds them of the sins that put an end to his life.
In the second great move, Jesus says, "Shalom,"
which means peace. Jesus returns not with vengeance, not with a renewal
of violence, not with more of the same; rather, the violence brought
against him is met with shalom, the gift of peace.
With this, a new world opens up and a way out
emerges.
t Charles Lwanga and Companions, Martyrs
Lectionary: 297
While Apollos was in Corinth,
Paul traveled through the interior of the country
and down to Ephesus where he found some disciples.
He said to them,
"Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?"
They answered him,
"We have never even heard that there is a Holy Spirit."
He said, "How were you baptized?"
They replied, "With the baptism of John."
Paul then said, "John baptized with a baptism of repentance,
telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him,
that is, in Jesus."
When they heard this,
they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
And when Paul laid his hands on them,
the Holy Spirit came upon them,
and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.
Altogether there were about twelve men.
He entered the synagogue, and for three months debated boldly
with persuasive arguments about the Kingdom of God.
The disciples said to Jesus, "Now you are talking plainly, and not in any figure of speech. Now we realize that you know everything and that you do not need to have anyone question you. Because of this we believe that you came from God." Jesus answered them, "Do you believe now? Behold, the hour is coming and has arrived when each of you will be scattered to his own home and you will leave me alone. But I am not alone, because the Father is with me. I have told you this so that you might have peace in me. In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world."
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