The difference between the two readings for mass today are striking. Saint Paul was stoned by the Jews and almost killed. They drug him out of the city and left him for dead. But, in the gospel today, Jesus talks to his disciples about peace, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you.”
We seem to have so much turmoil in our modern lives, it is hard to find peace in our everyday life. We have so many tasks to do each day, job stress, family problems, traffic and bills and chores and the list goes on. It is difficult to keep up with our “to do list”. It seems like there just isn’t enough hours in the day to get it all done. It can leave us tired and irritable, and cause us to snap at others sometimes, because of our daily obligations and frustrations. Sometimes life can seem like a never ending treadmill that you can’t get off of.
Paul was in a really bad situation in today’s first reading too, after the Jews stoned him, drug him out of the city and left him for dead. That would have been a very discouraging occurrence for most of us. If the same thing happened to us, it might have been enough to make us want to quit or give up. But, this doesn’t seem to be the case with Paul or the other disciples either. The disciples gathered around Paul and he recovered well enough to get up and walk into the city. It is important to note that Paul didn’t recover on his own. His friends came to his aid.
There are people in our lives that are having a rough time too, if we take the time to notice them. Single mothers, or sick mothers. Fathers who work two jobs just to provide the basic necessities for their families. Seniors who struggle after the death of a spouse, or those who are going through a divorce, for an example. They often suffer quietly and may feel alone in their suffering.
The disciples in today’s first reading came to Paul’s aid though. They didn’t leave him to lie outside the city and to suffer by himself. The scriptures say, “But when the disciples gathered around him, he got up and entered the city.” The disciples’ presence was very healing to Paul, after this traumatic event that he went through. Paul wasn’t strong enough to go on by himself, but with a little help from his friends, he recovered. The disciples acted as Christ for one another. This would be a very healing thing if more of us could learn to do this for one another too. Be Christ for one another.
Jesus is concerned about his disciples in the gospel today as well, when he said, “Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.” He wanted to soothe their troubled minds and reassure them, that although he was facing a lot of turmoil in the future, everything would turn out ok. It was his Father’s will. They should trust him, even if there came a time he could no longer be with them. Jesus reassured them that he would come back later for them. Jesus’ peaceful words come across as a healing balm for the soul. His words are still soothing and healing for us to hear today too.
We really should strive to be more like Christ for one another. Bad things eventually happen to all of us, but we can strive to be there for one another. Just our presence, care and concern can be a very healing balm in another person’s life. It helps a lot just to know that another person cares what they are going through. Jesus eased his disciples fears, and they in turn did the same for one another. As usual, Jesus demonstrates the way to his kingdom. His disciples learned from him and did the same with one another. We are fortunate to have their example to live by as well.
The next time we come in contact with someone who is struggling with emotional, physical, or spiritual difficulties, it would be good to think about how Jesus and his disciples responded in today’s readings for mass.
Daily Mass Readings:
Acts 14: 19-28 / Psalm 145: 10-13ab, 21 / John 14: 27-31a
