Daily Gospel Reflection for May 9, 2023

Join us as we reflect, ponder, and pray together inspired by today's Gospel.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells His disciples:

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you."

And then He tells them He is going away, but it will be okay; come on and follow me.

We can read these words now and understand the context – we know how the story unfolds. The disciples were used to Jesus saying things they didn’t always understand, but they had learned to trust Him. I imagine the disciples looking at each other and then shrugging their shoulders as if to say, I don’t know what it all means, but I believe Him!

While reading and re-reading this scripture passage to write this reflection, I noticed a phrase that I had previously not paid much attention to: My peace I give to you. Jesus doesn’t say go find peace in the world, or in books, or give peace to each other. It’s His peace that He gave to the people He loved most. God’s peace. The peace that surpasses all understanding.

When my mornings start peacefully, I am a better person to everyone I encounter during my day. I’m a better wife, mother, co-worker, and friend. Conflict, whether internal or external, is avoided at all costs. But regardless of how hard I try to keep noise and disruption at bay, the world creeps in. If I’m lucky, I get a few hours of calm and quiet; sometimes, it’s just a few moments. I treasure it all no matter how long it lasts. But this is the peace that I’m creating; it is artificial, it is fleeting.

The moments where I have felt God’s peace most clearly are when the priest says the words of absolution during the Sacrament of Reconciliation. It is then that His peace washes over me like rain.

Ponder:

Where can we look for God’s peace in our lives each day?

Pray:

Jesus, thank You for the gift of Your peace. May we seek it, recognize it, and help others to find it.

Click to tweet:
Jesus doesn’t say go find peace in the world, or in books, or give peace to each other. It’s His peace that He gave to the people He loved most. #DailyGospel

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