Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”  After he said this, he showed them his hands and side… Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you!
(John 20:19-21)

John 20:19-31

There are two things that are remarkable about this verse from the Gospel of John. The fact is that the body of our Risen Lord still shows the signs of the struggles he went through. The wounds are still there in his hands and side. The second remarkable thing is that, despite his wounds, he repeats his message twice to the disciples: Peace be with you!  

We can take great comfort from these words. There is war in the world at the moment, there is global economic instability, and we are still struggling to come to terms with the loss of Pope Francis. But Jesus says to us emphatically: Peace! 

Our Christian hope is not a weak hope. Christ invites us to live through our struggles, to bear the marks that they may leave on us, and to let him assure us that all will be ok in the end. 

 
How can you invite the peace of Christ into your heart this week? 
 

Reflections by Grant Tungay SJ

Lord Jesus, 

your message to us is peace, even in the face of our challenges. Give us the grace of facing whatever life gives us, knowing that your peace does not depend on the absence of struggle.
Amen.

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