The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops wrote a pastoral letter sometime ago entitled: The Challenge of Peace: God’s Promise and our Response. The Bishops state: “Peacemaking is not an optional commitment. It is a requirement of our faith. We are called to be peacemakers, not by some movement of the moment, but by our Lord Jesus. There is both blessing and responsibility in Christ’s love. Jesus unconditionally gives us His love so we can know and grow in love. The gift we have been given is meant to be shared so that others can know and grow in peace. Where and how are you as a Christian being called to share your love and promote the peace of Christ in our world today?
Growing up Catholic, in our family home, in my bedroom, around my neck, on the rosary in my pocket, in the classroom of the school, Our Lady of Good Counsel School, then in the minor seminary which I entered at age 14, and in our parish Church, the crucifix is part of the DNA of my Catholic upbringing. The crucifix was a constant fixture in almost every prayer I said. The crucifix symbolized the giving love of Jesus for me and the whole world. The message of the crucifix in the sanctuary of our Church is that for Jesus his dying is his greatest act of giving. In today’s Gospel taken from Jesus’ farewell discourse at the Last Supper, Jesus is speaking to his disciples about his own death. “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in Him…My children I will be with you only a little while longer. I give you a new commandment, that you love one another…By this all shall know that you are my disciples, by the love you have for one another.”
Plain and simple, just as a bad night of fishing can lead to a great catch; so too for us, dealing with our struggles in life can lead to a deeper experience of God’s love in our life. Like Peter we are called to profess our trust in Jesus. When that happens, the abundance of God’s blessing will follow.