"Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid." Can we hear Jesus saying these words to us? It's often easier for us to imagine the apostles hearing this consoling command and following it, than to think of it really applying to us. After all, Jesus was standing right there with them.
Can he really expect US, two thousand years later, not to be troubled by the cares of life? But the fact is that the gift Jesus was giving to his disciples, he has also given to us: "The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name."
Jesus told them that peace would be theirs, and it can also be ours. Peace is, in fact, one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit, along with love, joy, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control, and chastity. These fruits don't come from us. They aren't just for people with certain cheery personalities.
These fruits come from God straight into our souls through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. Through our baptism and confirmation, Jesus gives us the gift of his Spirit. And then his peace, and so many other gifts can truly become ours if we open our hearts to them.
This is a reality that we can contemplate whenever worry or anxiety strike. Whatever may be disturbing our inner peace--whether it be a family feud, some kind of physical suffering, or a difficult decision to make at work or school--we can take comfort in knowing that we can find peace even in the midst of the problem. "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you," Jesus says. But he continues, "Not as the world gives do I give it to you." In other words, God doesn't promise to take away the struggle in an instant. But he does promise to give us his peace even in the midst of life's trials and tribulations.
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