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Wednesday of the 6th week of Eastertide or Saints Nereus and Achilleus, Martyrs or Saint Pancras, Martyr

May 12th, 2010

“Peace I bequeath to you, my own peace I give you, a peace that the world cannot give.”
Jn 14:27

During his life on earth, Jesus brought peace wherever there was suffering or fear. Suffering and fear continue to permeate life today, perhaps even more so than in the time of Jesus. Medical science tries to find cures for present day illnesses; but the world seems unable to eradicate the suffering and fear brought about by modern day ways of life. Yet true peace, the peace which Jesus gives, lies within each one. True peace lies within me, bestowed on me through the action of the Holy Spirit, so that I have the ability to live in peace, even when all around me is in chaos. So how do I receive the peace which Jesus has promised? I have within me the strength which only God can give. The peace I seek will come first of all through prayer, especially remembering the presence of God within our being. So I do what I can to undo the chaos around me and leave the rest in prayer to God.

Prayer


Prayer Lord, grant me the peace which the world cannot give and strengthen me in overcoming my fears.

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Just a Thought

The Eucharist

The manner in which we celebrate Eucharist and the reverence we give to it speak greatly of the sort of people we are. The following is a lovely story from the early Church which I came across recently: it might help us to understand what it means to be a member of the Church:

Cyprian of Cathage, wrote to his friend, Donatus: “It’s a bad world, Donatus, in which we live. But right in the middle of it I have discovered a quiet and holy group of people. They are people who have found a happiness that is a thousand times more joyful than all the pleasures of our sinful lives. These people are despised and persecuted, but it doesn’t matter to them. They are Christians, Donatus, and I am one of them.”

St. Luke, in the Acts of the Apostles, describes how those people, the early Christians, bore witness to Christ and celebrated the Eucharist – i.e. the Mass; “The community of believers was of one heart and mind, and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions;… There was not a needy person among them…. Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple area and to breaking bread in their homes…”

The Eucharist has consequences for the way we should live our lives. St. Augustine tells us that the Lord gave us these gifts of his Body and Blood so that we, too, might become these very things – i.e. his Body and Blood for the life of the world.

During the celebration of the Last Supper Jesus said, “I have given you an example, that you also should do what I have done to you.” Through us Christ is made present to our world. Our sharing in the Eucharist bonds us together with our brothers and sisters who have also been immersed into the life of Christ through the waters of Baptism.

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