Our Hearts in Peace

Acts 15:1-2, 22-29, Psalm 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8

Revelation 21:10-14, 22-23, John 14:23-29

Dear friends, once again sharing with you a short homily. Today we have listened to the book of the Acts of the Apostles, where they are sending out new members to evangelize, together with Paul and Barnabas. The community is happy to choose them and to send them out, there is joy in the community to have more agents for the work of evangelization. Then we listened to the second reading from the book of Revelation, where St. John shares with us one of his visions, about the brightness or clarity that God has, where neither the light, the sun nor the moon are necessary, because the light of God shines by itself and illuminates everyone. Therefore, we need not fear for the future in the presence of God, for beyond our lifetime there awaits us an enlightened eternity in the house of God.

Then we heard the Gospel of John, where Jesus is telling them that he has to return to his father's house. The disciples probably felt sad that Jesus might be leaving, but Jesus invites them not to lose peace and hope, because it was necessary for him to go to his father's house to receive them. Jesus in this gospel leaves a beautiful and eternal phrase: Do not lose your peace. A phrase that without a doubt remains an invitation for us to this day. Jesus does not say this just to reassure them, or as a motivational phrase, but as a full confidence that he can make things right for them, so they should not be afraid. Reading and meditating on these readings I was thinking about how often we lose Peace and forget the words of Jesus.

We must not allow peace to be taken away from us. I remember when I was in seminary in 2017, there was an earthquake in Mexico City, obviously many of us felt sad, anguished to see the news, the dead, the injured, all those who had lost homes or who were still under the walls that collapsed. In the central chapel of the seminary the mural of Jesus had also fallen down, so the atmosphere was sad, we couldn't communicate with our families either, so we were all in a state of disorientation.

I remember very well our rector, a very serene man, a very intelligent man, he gathered us in a circle, took the floor and gave us a speech and asked us to keep the peace, that at that time we needed to recover it, because society needed us. He didn't say much, he just asked us for tranquillity, peace and faith in God. He didn't have to say more to give us that calm and hope.

When the night came, we seminarians were already working to make a collection centre for the victims, the next day our dining room was full of people who wanted to help, then at that moment I understood, that in spite of the misfortune, the pain, the fear and the uncertainty we needed to keep the peace, not the peace of the world, but the peace that Jesus gives in the heart, because when we kept the peace, we could be a sign of hope for the people who joined our cause. And today's gospel with those words of Jesus reminded me of that moment, to keep the peace in spite of difficult situations is not easy, however our faith in Jesus allows us to keep that peace and faith to work for the good of others.

Finally dear friends, I would like to invite you not to allow peace to be torn from our hearts, in spite of the difficulties, we know that Jesus is always with us and comforts us, to keep that peace in our hearts. I wish you an excellent Sunday, greetings in Jesus, the missionary of the Father.