THE WORD
Ac 14,19-28 / Jn 14,27-31
Jesus said to his disciples, “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. You heard me tell you, ‘I am going away and I will come back to you.’ If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father; for the Father is greater than I. And now I have told you this before it happens, so that when it happens you may believe. I will no longer speak much with you, for the ruler of the world is coming. He has no power over me, but the world must know that I love the Father and that I do just as the Father has commanded me. Get up, let us go.”
IN OTHER WORDS
If you are troubled and worried, Jesus’ GOOD NEWS is for you: “Do not let your hearts be troubled
or afraid.” “Come to Me,” Jesus invites us, “all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest“ (Mt. 11:28). God is bigger than our troubles, worries, and fears.
Jesus says, “Peace I leave with you.” He is giving us peace of mind and heart, telling us to REJOICE, and be HAPPY. He says, “I am going away and I will come back to you. If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father; for the Father is greater than I.” Jesus has risen from the dead and conquered sin. Though he is going back to God the Father he is leaving us with His peace. Jesus says, “My peace I give to you.” And as a result, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God” (Mt. 5:9).
Jesus invites us, “Get up!” An invitation to rise up with Him from our fallen situations – our miseries, problems, and sinfulness. To His apostles, He says, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; touch Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have” (Lk 24:38-39). Jesus is indeed victorious over sin and death.
Jesus invites us again, “Let’s go!” An invitation to participate in His mission. Before Jesus ascends into heaven, He commands His apostles, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Mt. 28: 19-20).
This is Jesus’ promise – I am with you always. Hence, we should not be troubled and afraid.
- Fr. Ferdinand Alfante, SVD | CT, Manila
The Word in other words 2016
An annual project of Logos Publications, The WORD in Other Words Bible Diary contains daily scripture readings and reflections written by priest, brothers, and sisters of the three congregations founded by St. Arnold Janssen (the SVD, SSpS, and SSpSAP). It hopes to serve as a daily companion to readers who continually seek the correlation of the Word of God and human experience.
