Father Koch: True peace only comes from God
May 18, 2021 at 9:42 p.m.
The first Word that Jesus speaks to his disciples as he appears to them on the Day of the Resurrection is “shalom,” that is, “peace.” This term serves to fulfill several basic functions. At first Jesus extends peace to the disciples to allay their fears. He knows that they are terrified and troubled as they do not know what to make of his appearance to them. We learn through subsequent encounters with the resurrected Lord that they are not certain that it is he. This word from him speaks of familiarity – the sound of his voice and the reassuring Word of peace would have a calming effect on them. Then he shows them his hands and his side, confirming for them that it is indeed himself, Jesus, standing in their midst.
He then repeats “shalom.” This time it is the usual greeting among fellow Jews as they encounter each other in ordinary ways. It served as a basic “hello” but quickly takes on yet a deeper meaning.
It is true that on Jewish festivals and the Sabbath the greeting takes on an ascendency as it is the extension of the peace of Sabbath or the peace of feast to the other. It is a peace that comes from God and one’s participation in the life of the assembly of believers. This is not just the greeting of worldly peace, nor just a “hello” but the expression that the peace of God himself is being shared among one’s compatriots. It is a peace that extends now beyond those here present, instead mystically being extended to all whom we meet. When one says shalom to another, one is extending “shalom” to whom that person will extend “shalom” through the course of the day. Hence, peace, the very peace that comes from participating in the life of faith is essentially infectious as it moves throughout the community each day.
Jesus needed to extend this peace to the disciples as he was about to bestow the Holy Spirit upon them and to give them the power to extend the peace of God to others through the forgiveness of sins. From now on, their own words, and the words of absolution as we experience them in the Sacrament of Penance, bring us deeper into sharing in the peace of God.
It is now as disciples of Jesus that we are called and challenged to bring peace to the world in which we live. Unfortunately, the Church is not even at peace with herself. There are divisions within the Body of Christ that prevent a singular witness to the testimony of the apostles and the peace of Jesus Christ. While these divisions stand as a sign of scandal to the world, this division is a rejection of the peace that the Lord extended to his disciples and so, also, to us.
The Holy Spirit – also called the Advocate or the Paraclete in the New Testament – is sent to us as the power and promise of God’s will to be realized in the world. Knowing that the world – overcome by the power of sin – would be hostile to the proclamation of the Gospel, the Lord sends the Holy Spirit in power to do the one thing that breaks the back of a sinful world – to forgive sins. This power, given to the Church changes everything in the relationship between the Church and the world. The ability to have one’s sins forgiven goes beyond the confines of the Old Testament Law and embraces the entire world. No longer do we have to be held bound by the constraints of the sacrificial offerings at the Temple, instead we can seek the Lord’s healing and peace when we are in need of his grace and healing.
Yes, the power to forgive also comes with the power to retain. Here the Church is called to challenge those who take the power of forgiveness for granted and abuse the sacramental opportunity and grace. The Lord desires to extend his peace to us in the face of our abandoning his will through our sinfulness. We are called to sincerely seek his peace and live in peace with one another.
By sharing peace with the disciples Jesus absolved them of their sin of abandoning him, their sin of denial, and their sin of doubt at what has occurred, and offered them his peace. It is that same peace we receive in Confession. When we hear the words of absolution from the priest, we receive the same peace from Jesus that he extended to his disciples on that Easter night.
Father Garry Koch is pastor of St. Benedict Parish, Holmdel.
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The first Word that Jesus speaks to his disciples as he appears to them on the Day of the Resurrection is “shalom,” that is, “peace.” This term serves to fulfill several basic functions. At first Jesus extends peace to the disciples to allay their fears. He knows that they are terrified and troubled as they do not know what to make of his appearance to them. We learn through subsequent encounters with the resurrected Lord that they are not certain that it is he. This word from him speaks of familiarity – the sound of his voice and the reassuring Word of peace would have a calming effect on them. Then he shows them his hands and his side, confirming for them that it is indeed himself, Jesus, standing in their midst.
He then repeats “shalom.” This time it is the usual greeting among fellow Jews as they encounter each other in ordinary ways. It served as a basic “hello” but quickly takes on yet a deeper meaning.
It is true that on Jewish festivals and the Sabbath the greeting takes on an ascendency as it is the extension of the peace of Sabbath or the peace of feast to the other. It is a peace that comes from God and one’s participation in the life of the assembly of believers. This is not just the greeting of worldly peace, nor just a “hello” but the expression that the peace of God himself is being shared among one’s compatriots. It is a peace that extends now beyond those here present, instead mystically being extended to all whom we meet. When one says shalom to another, one is extending “shalom” to whom that person will extend “shalom” through the course of the day. Hence, peace, the very peace that comes from participating in the life of faith is essentially infectious as it moves throughout the community each day.
Jesus needed to extend this peace to the disciples as he was about to bestow the Holy Spirit upon them and to give them the power to extend the peace of God to others through the forgiveness of sins. From now on, their own words, and the words of absolution as we experience them in the Sacrament of Penance, bring us deeper into sharing in the peace of God.
It is now as disciples of Jesus that we are called and challenged to bring peace to the world in which we live. Unfortunately, the Church is not even at peace with herself. There are divisions within the Body of Christ that prevent a singular witness to the testimony of the apostles and the peace of Jesus Christ. While these divisions stand as a sign of scandal to the world, this division is a rejection of the peace that the Lord extended to his disciples and so, also, to us.
The Holy Spirit – also called the Advocate or the Paraclete in the New Testament – is sent to us as the power and promise of God’s will to be realized in the world. Knowing that the world – overcome by the power of sin – would be hostile to the proclamation of the Gospel, the Lord sends the Holy Spirit in power to do the one thing that breaks the back of a sinful world – to forgive sins. This power, given to the Church changes everything in the relationship between the Church and the world. The ability to have one’s sins forgiven goes beyond the confines of the Old Testament Law and embraces the entire world. No longer do we have to be held bound by the constraints of the sacrificial offerings at the Temple, instead we can seek the Lord’s healing and peace when we are in need of his grace and healing.
Yes, the power to forgive also comes with the power to retain. Here the Church is called to challenge those who take the power of forgiveness for granted and abuse the sacramental opportunity and grace. The Lord desires to extend his peace to us in the face of our abandoning his will through our sinfulness. We are called to sincerely seek his peace and live in peace with one another.
By sharing peace with the disciples Jesus absolved them of their sin of abandoning him, their sin of denial, and their sin of doubt at what has occurred, and offered them his peace. It is that same peace we receive in Confession. When we hear the words of absolution from the priest, we receive the same peace from Jesus that he extended to his disciples on that Easter night.
Father Garry Koch is pastor of St. Benedict Parish, Holmdel.