Chaplain’s Column

The Gift of Peace

Jesus tells us in the Gospel of John: “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” (Jn 14:28). Jesus was preparing his disciples for his eventual departure, but before he goes, he has a farewell gift: his gift of peace that calms our daily struggles and fears.

Jesus said “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you” (Jn 14:27).

A wealthy man commissioned an artist to paint a scene that would depict peace. After a great deal of thought, the artist painted a beautiful country scene with a lovely little village nestled in a distant valley.

The artist handed the picture to the man, but there came a look of disappointment on his face. The wealthy man said to the artist, “this isn’t a picture of true peace. It is not right. Go back and try again.”

The artist went back to his studio, thought about peace again for several hours and painted a picture of a mother holding a sleeping baby in her arms, smiling lovingly on her child. The artist thought surely this is true peace and hurried to deliver it to the wealthy man. Once again, the man refused the painting and asked the artist to try again.

The artist returned to his studio, tired and discouraged. He then prayed for inspiration to paint a picture of true peace. Then all of a sudden an idea came to him and he rushed to the canvas and began to paint.

When he had finished he hurried once more to the wealthy man. The man studied it carefully for several minutes and said, “Now this is a picture of true peace.”

What was the picture of true peace? It was a scene of an angry sea pounding against a cliff.

The artist had captured the furry of a violent thunderstorm as the wild gale raged and the enormous waves tossed up and down. Then, in the middle of the painting under a cliff, the artist had painted a small bird, safe and dry in her nest, snuggled safely in the rocks. The bird was at peace within the storm that raged about her.

For a number of reasons, many people may not see their lives as especially peaceful, but Jesus comes and offers us peace.

Jesus does not promise us a worldly peace, but instead gives us the gift of the Holy Spirit to strengthen us in good times and bad. Jesus offers us the peace illustrated by a calm bird taking shelter in a cliff in the middle of a hurricane.

Something shocking happened to the disciples after Jesus shared his gift of peace with them. They went from hiding in fear, to speaking about Jesus everywhere. Any time we experience trouble of any kind, the awareness of God’s presence with us has great meaning for our lives.

Belonging to Jesus does not mean the absence of problems or setbacks, but assures us that Jesus is beside us and within us whatever we face.

There is a prayer called St Patrick’s Breastplate that tells us “I arise today, through God’s strength to pilot me, God’s might to uphold me, God’s wisdom to guide me. God’s shield to protect me… Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise… I ask today through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity.”

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