John 14:22-31: a reflection

22Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, what has happened that you are about to reveal yourself to us, and not to the world?” 23Jesus answered him, “If a man loves me, he will keep my word. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24He who doesn’t love me doesn’t keep my words. The word which you hear isn’t mine, but the Father’s who sent me. 25“I have said these things to you while still living with you. 26But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things, and will remind you of all that I said to you. 27Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, I give to you. Don’t let your heart be troubled, neither let it be fearful. 28You heard how I told you, ‘I am going away, and I will come back to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced because I said ‘I am going to my Father;’ for the Father is greater than I. 29Now I have told you before it happens so that when it happens, you may believe. 30I will no more speak much with you, for the prince of the world comes, and he has nothing in me. 31But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father commanded me, even so I do. Arise, let’s go from here.

As Jesus prepares his disciples for his departure, he leaves them a gift unlike anything the world can give: Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, I give to you. Don't let your heart be troubled, neither let it be fearful. The world gives a kind of peace, dependent on circumstances, fragile, easily shattered; but Christ gives his own peace, a peace that does not depend on circumstances and cannot be taken by trouble. Into hearts that might well be troubled and afraid, he speaks his peace, a peace unlike the world's.

Notice the peace Christ gives, and how it differs from the world's. The world's peace depends on things going well, on calm circumstances; it is fragile, and trouble shatters it. But Christ's peace is not like that; it is his own peace, given to hearts that might otherwise be troubled and afraid, a peace that does not depend on circumstances and is not shattered by trouble. Not as the world gives, he says; his peace is deeper, steadier, able to keep the heart from being troubled even when circumstances would trouble it. His peace is a gift the world cannot give.

That peace of Christ is worth taking to heart, for we can seek peace where the world seeks it, in calm circumstances, and lose it when trouble comes. We can rest our peace on things going well, on untroubled circumstances; and when trouble comes, that peace is shattered, and our hearts are troubled and afraid. But Christ offers his own peace, not dependent on circumstances, able to steady the heart even in trouble. Do not seek only the world's peace, which depends on calm circumstances and fails when trouble comes; receive the peace Christ gives, his own peace, which does not depend on circumstances and can keep your heart from being troubled even in trouble. When your heart is tempted to be troubled and afraid, receive the peace Christ leaves with you, unlike the world's, and let it steady you, as Jesus said, my peace I give to you, not as the world gives; do not let your heart be troubled or afraid.

Lord Jesus, as you prepare your disciples for your departure, you leave them a gift unlike anything the world can give: peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives, I give to you; don't let your heart be troubled, neither let it be fearful. The world gives a kind of peace, dependent on circumstances, fragile, easily shattered; but you give your own peace, a peace that does not depend on circumstances and cannot be taken by trouble. Show me the peace you give, and how it differs from the world's. The world's peace depends on things going well; it is fragile, and trouble shatters it. But your peace is not like that; it is your own peace, given to hearts that might otherwise be troubled and afraid, a peace that does not depend on circumstances. Your peace is deeper, steadier, able to keep the heart from being troubled even when circumstances would trouble it. Take that peace to my heart, for I can seek peace where the world seeks it, in calm circumstances, and lose it when trouble comes. I can rest my peace on things going well; and when trouble comes, that peace is shattered, and my heart is troubled and afraid. But you offer your own peace, not dependent on circumstances. Keep me from seeking only the world's peace, which fails when trouble comes; help me receive the peace you give, your own peace, which can keep my heart from being troubled even in trouble. When my heart is tempted to be troubled and afraid, help me receive the peace you leave with me, Lord, unlike the world's, and let it steady me.