“Peace, I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you.” John: 14: 27
I wonder how many of you have taken part in this particular exercise. I whisper a message to N. and she/he passes it to N. and so on and so on and finally N. repeats it back to me and we see just how like it is to the original. It probably will not be, it may have even taken on an opposite character. Why? Because on the whole humans are not good listeners. The greatest part of any counsellor’s training is to listen, not to comment, not to judge and not to give advice but to listen as most human problems need to be sorted at source!
No, I have not taken up reading sociology and neither have I been on a counselling course, I’ve been reading the lections given for today’s Mass, in particular that glorious passage from the Book of Revelation based on the vision of the New Jerusalem given by the prophet Ezekiel that continues on from last Sunday!
Recording his revelation John describes his vision of the heavenly city. A Kingdom of light where all is perfect around the Almighty. The Church is called to witness on earth to this kingdom, we believe that as the Church we are the forerunner to this state, but as such we do not always enjoy such peace and harmony as the writer reflects.
There is nothing new in this. The history of the early Church is also one of division which sees the Book of Revelation opening with messages for seven different communities of the early Church. The dispute at Antioch of which we read today in the Book of Acts, is a good example of the kind of struggle that has occurred in every age. The demands of race and culture were to be imposed on this new branch of the Church in that the visitors thought they had come to command or to condemn but certainly not to listen. Another thing that has not changed is the veiling of a deeper problem with a less important one, the question of circumcision is but a disguise for a much bigger debate.
And yes of course the debate is about power. About who held power in the Church which had grown through the tradition of the Old Testament and was now becoming increasingly of Gentile extraction. The local Church takes on its own power craze as its disquiet is matched by the fears of the visitors. So much for Christ’s gift of peace!
In the Gospel passage Jesus tells his followers of the Pentecost experience. He must return to the Father, so that “the Helper” can be sent to them: at this point I might say I welcome the new translation replacing the traditional title ‘Advocate’ that in our time has so many legal connections. The coming of “the Helper” is not an optional extra, it is part of our redemption for this Spirit will be a helper and defender to teach them and hold them together in times of trial. They will be strengthened by the Spirit dwelling in them in Christ’s name, this Peace is a real presence if they wish to keep Christ’s word and thus listen to this great gift of help in their witness.
Let’s then turn to the message of Peace. This can also be misconstrued or misinterpreted. For the most point we think of “Peace” as a time without warfare or struggle. But “the Helper” gives us the “Peace of Christ”, nowhere is there a guarantee of no testing, or a promise to sit comfortably, to the contrary if we are to enjoy Christ’s peace, we must embrace his Spirit and, at all times, that it is to do the will of the Father whatever the cost!
“The Helper” was at the heart of the Council of Jerusalem and peace was brought to the Church in Antioch as it was united with the Church in Jerusalem.
What of the Church today preparing, as she is, to celebrate Our Lord’s Ascension? The Church that will pray in the post-communion prayer to: -
“Increase within us … the fruits of this Paschal Sacrament.”
There is much to learn from the Council of Antioch as they were indeed helped by learning the need to listen to the will of God and thus be strengthened by the Holy Spirit. As we prepare to celebrate the Ascension let’s reflect on our willingness to be helped in a similar way, and reflect often, so that we might not miss the help: after all Jesus said: -
“Peace, I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you.” John: 14: 27