You'll Remember the Peace when Christ's Grace touches you; daily!

You’ll Remember the Peace when Christ’s grace touches you!

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.”  When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side.  The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.  Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you.  As the Father has sent me, so I send you.  (Jn 20: 19 - 21).

With the appearance of Jesus to his disciples a form of grace that is more than a subtle hello, since he was dead and now he is alive.  Things that never appear to be normal and cover the senses of disbelief are just what we all encounter when the grace of justice occurs and we say it was by grace that this happened.  It isn’t a coincidence that the Holy Spirit always presents the blessings that may be hard to understand, yet here the disciples experienced what grace is all about.  The second attribute is the peace that Jesus extended to them; it is the same when the grace we receive comes in the form of peace that is the real essence of what a self-relaxing entity personally envelops our inner-need of something that is beyond the antagonistic events that threaten our well-being.  Peace is a heavenly sign that all is fine and we only need to adhere to the grace that Christ puts in our hearts if we will just trust him completely.

Respect for and development of human life require peace.  Peace is not merely the absence of war, and it is not limited to maintaining a balance of power between adversaries.  Peace cannot be attained on earth without safeguarding the goods of persons, free communication among men, respect for the dignity of persons and peoples,  and the assiduous practice of fraternity.  Peace is “the tranquility of order.”  Peace is the work of justice and the effect of charity.  (CCC 2304).

Injustice, excessive economic or social inequalities, envy, distrust, and pride raging among men and nations constantly threaten peace and cause wars.  Everything done to overcome these disorders contributes to building up peace and avoiding war.  (CCC 2317).

Insofar as men are sinners, the threat of war hangs over them and will so continue until Chist comes again; but insofar as they can vanquish sin by coming together in charity, violence itself will be vanquished and these words will be fulfilled: “they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks;  nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.”  (Gaudium et spes)  the sacred synod proclaiming the noble destiny of man.

In conclusion, and as mentioned above, peace is not the absence of war or in fact any type of abusive language toward another person.  It is something that must be sought after and if needed swallow our pride and seek the pleasure of a peaceful life that comes at a cost: Humility and Love for others in our midst.  That will also be the grace of Christ.

Ralph B. Hathaway