Often enough, a parish worker, at day’s end, will say, “So long, Father, I hope you have a peaceful, quiet evening.” Replying, “Thank you, have a good evening yourself.” I smile and then mumble, “Ah yes, peace and quiet, peace and quiet.”

The smile widens into a grin as I think, “Boy, I must be getting old. I sound like my father,” and recall the times I asked him what he wanted for Christmas, Father’s Day, or his birthday. Without hesitation, he would declare, “All I want is peace and quiet.”

Like any parent, my father wanted his home to be a haven of peace, love, and serenity. He wanted his children to get along. Sibling rivalry, fighting, and dissension upset him. As annoyed as I was that his “peace and quiet” answer was never any help on gift-giving occasions, I’ve come to appreciate the wisdom behind his response and realize family members’ loving and peaceful presence to and with one another is, in the long run, more important than any gifts given or received.

Peace, harmony, unity, and the resolution of conflicts and problems are themes presented in today’s Scriptures.

• A dispute over circumcision, described in Acts, threatened the well-being of the early Church. Motivated by charity and concern for the Church and its members, the Apostles and elders resolved the issue in a way that demonstrated discussions conducted in an atmosphere of mutual respect with a desire to carry out the saving will of God could promote peace and growth within the Church. The unity and harmony of the believing community need not be threatened by diversity.

• The excerpt from Revelation presents a vision of the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven. This city gleamed with the splendor of God. It had a massive high wall, which guaranteed security and peace. Not a physical or man-made dwelling, the temple of the Holy City is the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb. “The glory of God gave it light, and its lamp was the Lamb.”

Awaiting us in this holy city is the fulfillment of all God’s promises. The tensions we experience as we wrestle with faith and struggle with hope will be gone; only love will remain. When we experience God’s glory and bask in His love we will have attained our life’s goal – unity and peace with God forever in heaven.

• In the Gospel, Jesus challenges His disciples and any of us who would be His followers to prove our love for Him by keeping His Word. He promises to send the Holy Spirit to teach us, guide us, and help us continue His healing, reconciling mission of peace.

Peace in the Bible is more than the absence of war, conflict, or strife. It can be a blessing, a greeting, a farewell, a statement of fact, a hope for the future, a prayer, a virtue, or any manifestation of a relationship in which all is well with God, others, and self. It is something only the Messiah can bring.

Jesus Christ is the Incarnation of God’s peace. In His passion and death, Jesus appears to have surrendered to the disintegration and chaos of the world, but through His Resurrection, the power of His love and peace triumphs over them.

Peace is a basic human longing on many levels. We want it in our lives, in our relationship with God, in our interaction with others, and in our world.

The serenity loving parents want for their families does not come easily. Every member of each family must value it and be willing to put aside individual comforts, preferences, and concerns to maintain it.

Likewise, everyone who belongs to the community of mankind need to realize personal sacrifices are necessary if we are to achieve the worldwide peace our loving Redeemer offers to us and wants for us.

Today’s readings emphasize it is Christ’s promise of peace that gives mankind hope and assure us our desire for Christ’s peace can be achieved when people of good will work together.

Whenever we strive to promote peace in our families, we manifest, in concrete, effective ways, our gratitude to a loving Father who wants all His children to live together in unity and harmony.

God’s will for us is our peace. After praying for and wishing one another peace at Mass this Sunday, let us take Christ’s peace with us as we go forth to love and serve the Lord.

Readings for the Sixth Sunday of Easter
First Reading – Acts of the Apostles 15: 1-2, 22-29
Second Reading – Revelation 21: 10-14, 22-23
Gospel – John 14: 23-29