Weekly Reflection

When the risen Jesus appears among his disciples, he says, “Peace be with you.” In John’s Gospel, this is no ordinary greeting. The night before he was crucified, Jesus promised his disciples, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.” Now, on the other side of the cross, the best way to understand this peace is as a relationship and as a vocation. Jesus promises to be an enduring presence among his disciples and at the same time sends them out to be his presence in the world and to carry on his work of announcing abundant life.

The exchange of peace, which we share at every Mass, reminds us of our relationship with the risen Jesus and of our vocation to be his presence in the world. With a handshake, hug, or kiss, we are ritualizing the celebration of our sexual identities, the forgiveness of our missteps, the promotion of equality among all genders, the refusal to tolerate sexual abuse, the search to eliminate the causes of poverty, and the care we wish to lavish upon earth, our common home. Indeed, this is no ordinary greeting: “Peace be with you.”