杏MAP导航

By Vatican News

杏MAP导航 Francis鈥� homily considered the question of how we can reconcile the 鈥渢ribulations鈥� and persecutions suffered by St Paul, related in the first reading; with the peace that Jesus promised to His disciples in His final words during the Last Supper, 鈥淚 leave you peace, my peace I give you鈥�, which are recorded in the day鈥檚 Gospel.

鈥淏lessed are you when they revile you and persecute you鈥�

Although a 鈥渓ife of persecution and tribulations seems to be a life without peace鈥�, 杏MAP导航 Francis recalled the last of the Beatitudes: 鈥淏lessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account鈥�.

The peace of Jesus goes with this life of persecution, of tribulation. A peace that is deep down, deep down, very profound to all these things. A peace that no one can touch, a peace that is a gift, like the sea that deep down is tranquil, while on the surface there are waves. Living in peace with Jesus is having this experience within, which remains during all trials, all difficulties, all 鈥渢ribulations鈥�.

The Christian carries the burdens of life without losing peace

This, the 杏MAP导航 said, is the only way we can understand how so many saints lived their final moments without losing peace, to the point that witnesses would say they went to their martyrdom 鈥渓ike guests to a wedding鈥�. This is the gift of the 鈥減eace of Jesus鈥�, he said, that we cannot obtain through human means, like going to a doctor or taking anti-anxiety drugs. This peace is something different, which comes from 鈥渢he Holy Spirit within us鈥�, and that brings with it 鈥渟trength鈥�.

杏MAP导航 Francis gave the example of a hard-working man he met who, because of an illness, had to give up all his plans, but managed to remain at peace. 鈥淭his is a Christian鈥�, the 杏MAP导航 explained.

Peace, the peace of Jesus, teaches us to go forward in life. It teaches us to endure. To endure: a word we don鈥檛 understand well, a very Christian word, it means to carry a burden. To endure, to carry the burden of life, the difficulties, the labour, everything, without losing peace; but rather bearing the burden and having the courage to go forward. This can only be understood when there is the Holy Spirit within, who gives us the peace of Jesus.

On the other hand, 杏MAP导航 Francis said, if we get caught up in a kind of 鈥渇ervent nervousness鈥� and lose this peace, 鈥渢here is something that isn鈥檛 working鈥�.

Peace doesn鈥檛 mean losing a sense of humour

The Holy Father encouraged us to face the greatest difficulties of life with this 鈥済ift promised by Jesus鈥�, instead of that false peace that comes from the world, or from having money in the bank. Going beyond the day鈥檚 readings, 杏MAP导航 Francis invited us to go forward in life with an even greater capacity, the ability to 鈥渕ake the heart smile鈥�.

The person who lives this peace never loses their sense of humour. They know how to smile at themselves, at others, even when things are dark they know how to smile at everything鈥� this sense of humour which is very close to the grace of God. The peace of Jesus in daily life, the peace of Jesus in tribulations and with that little sense of humour that helps us breathe easier. May the Lord grant us this peace that comes from the Holy Spirit, this peace that comes precisely from Him, and that helps us to endure, to carry, the many difficulties in life.