6th Sunday Easter C / My Peace I give to you
 

Acts 15: 22-29/ Ps 67/ Rev 21: 10:23/ Jn 14:23-29
  Introduction
 

          A priest came across in a hospital a mother who was dying of Cancer. He knew that she was in agony of deep pain. But he was surprised when she whispered to him, “Father I am afraid to go. If I die, who will love my children?” He stopped for a while and pondered about her words. She was dying of pain and yet not thinking of about herself, but her children. Maybe that’s the nature of a mother, thinking of the welfare of the family first…before herself.

  
  Background
 
  1. In today’s Gospel Christ was telling his apostles about his tremendous suffering that he will undergo. He knew he was going to die, but he was not worried about himself.  He was thinking of his apostles, that he will leave behind. He knows they were weak in faith, and would easily give up when trials come. But He told them, “I will not leave you orphan . . . I will send to you the Paraclete to give you peace.” He can not simply leave behind people he loved. He wanted to assure them of his eternal spiritual presence.

  2. The apostles begun to be frightened by his words. And start to leave one by one but Jesus asked them not to be afraid. He will send to them his Spirit who will give them peace. It is the peace that this world can not give. This world defines peace as the absence but in the bible peace is “shalom” it means the fullness of blessings. Christ is going back to the Father but they should not be afraid, he will send the Spirit the Advocate, who will give them every blessings they need and they will live in peace.

  3. There is someone not mentioned in today’s text but has a big role in consoling his apostles. It will be expressed in the later Chapter (19:26-27). When Jesus was dying on the cross, he said to his mother, “woman beholds your son.” Then looking at John he said, “Behold your mother.” Jesus was not worried leaving his followers, because he knew he will be leaving his mother behind to take care of them. John is the symbol for the new Church. Since the Church is the body of Christ. She will take care of it, the way she took care of her son Jesus. She will stand by it, even at the point of death.
 
  Reflection:  
            We want to love. But most often we base our love in human perspective that seeks happiness of self than the other. It is the kind of love that thinks of happiness than pain. Christ called us not simply to love, but to love the same way He loved us. And that is to love until the cross, up to the pain of death without seeking anything in return. The following thoughts are the kind of love he had shown, and those are the same love we have to share to our neighbor:

  1. I remember whenever I feel sick, my mom will embrace me tight whole night long and I will find myself cured and smiling the next morning. There is a certain power in every mother that even they are tired working in the office whole day, she can still cook for dinner and wash clothes and do other house chores. She never gets tired if it is for the love of her family.

  2. In today’s Gospel it was said, “If you love me, obey my words.” The best way to express our love to our mothers is to listen and obey their words and advices. Their words are so lovely in our ears. They are like music in FM radio that you open early in the morning and sign off late in the evening. They talk to because their words and wisdoms form a person. She loves to talk because she wants to form a good Christian family and form success in you.

    Mothers are considered the first teachers of faith. The greatest legacy a Christian mother can give to her children is her faith. She is the light in the family that inspires and leads the whole family to God. When my mother was just teaching me how to pray, I make it a little bit louder for her to hear them. Afterwards I see her taking small tissue and start wiping her tears. Sometimes mothers also feel low and down, they could also feel frustrated. It’s our turn to cheer her up and pray for her. When she is happy whole family is happy. Some children and dad are so much worried what gift to give to their beloved mother. If you attended the mass today and prayed together with or for her then I am telling you, you had already given to her the best gift that this world can give – “prayer.” The other material gifts like dress, shoes, perfume, etc. will come only secondary.

  3. Yahweh named the first woman Eve because she will be the mother of all living creatures. The word “mother” comes from eastern concept of “omma” to breastfed. Then it was shorten to “ma” then taken in Latin as “mater” then picked up in English as “mother.” To breastfed is to give life. A mother is a life giver. And life is the beginning of everything. I became a priest not only because I studied hard in the seminary, but most of all a mother gave me life. What ever success we have in life, it is because a special woman gave life to us. We do not have the right to turn our back from our mother for whatever reason. Without life – we are nothing.

    It is very hard to lose a mother. You can change a wife either by divorce to annulment, but you can never replace a mother. She will always be the only mother to you. Some widower says that while she is still in the hospital and even during funeral services, he still feel okay. But when everything was done and its time to go back to his house and embraced his children, he knows it will never be the same family again. They will surely feel that vacuum that only a love mother can fill.

 
  Conclusion  
 

         If you still have a mother with you – you are lucky. There is still someone who will take care of you. My mother died when I am about to be ordained. Sometimes I ask why she has to die too early, and not even see me in the altar of God. I told myself, perhaps she went ahead to pray for me before the Father so that I can make it through the finish line. I know she did not simply leave me behind. She left because she loves me. She has to go to send me graces I need to be a good priest. The love of a mother goes beyond death. The love of a mother is eternal.