Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish

FR MICHAEL BIBLICAL IMAGERY

(Fr Michael Boakye Yeboah: Vice Rector of St Gregory Seminary, Kumasi-Ghana)

PEACE

            Peace is vital and essential for any communal living. When United Nations was established in 1945 the founding fathers made peace, stability, and security the main goals for its establishment. For them the existence of peace will help promote friendly relations among nations and promote social progress, better living standards and human rights. The Church was very happy with its establishment and Pope Paul VI expressed those sentiments of the Church when the Pontiff addressed that august house. The Church sees the promotion of peace as one of her important missions; in fact, peace was central in the post resurrectional message of Christ as the inspired writer makes it clear in today’s gospel account.

            Though Christ had risen from the dead, the threat of persecution and annihilation of the disciples and the faith was not over yet. The disciples were still locked up in the upper room. Being behind locked doors was chiefly due to the fear of the authorities. Some psychologists will tell you that in moments of fear and nervousness, the best way to settle one’s nerves would be assurances of security and peace. And so in the disciples’ moment of fear Jesus comes in and assures them that he will be with them to the very end; he went on to bless them with his peace. Seeing Jesus was very reassuring for those who were present in the upper room.

            But when Thomas, who wasn’t there when Jesus came in, heard the news he failed to believe. I am of the opinion that for Thomas to have the resurrectional experience, he needed to rely on faith rather than “empirical facts”. As regards the resurrection of Jesus, we should note that all things involved must take place within the ambience of faith, which Thomas lacked. The resurrection episode should be lived with an attitude of believing surrender rather than insistence on seeing and experiencing (checking the wounds). As Christians we should note that one can have no peace as long as he doubts and holds back. Thomas after inspecting the wounds of Jesus by himself, had to fall down and say in faith: “My Lord, and my God!”

            In Christianity another element of peaceful co-existence has to do with unity. In the first reading the first Church’s unity is the sign that its members are living the peace of Jesus. Demarcations between “mine” and “thine” are the source of strife between men, whether it is a matter of intellectual or material “private property”. This peace is completely spiritually, and not sociologically, inspired. Sociologically it would be almost impossible to achieve what is described here: “To each was distributed according to his need.”

            The second reading expands things even more. The peace established by Christ now is given names that are at the same time its conditions: “love of God” (of the Father, of the Son, of men), “belief in God” (who conquers the restless world). This union of love and faith is the Easter gift of Jesus: making peace between God and the world. In the Church this gift becomes concrete in the sacraments of Baptism (water), Eucharist (blood), and Confirmation (Spirit). Whoever receives them in their inner meaning and lets them take effect, receives the peace of Christ and spreads it throughout the world. Let peace be part of your life this Easter season. In peace we will all enjoy love, security, and peaceful co-existence. May the resurrected Christ bless us with his peace. Amen.