Reflection: "Peace I leave you; My peace I give to you."

Jesus said to His disciple: "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. No as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid." John 14:27

When Jesus appeared to His disciples after He had risen from the dead, He greeted them with words of peace.

Imagine how they must have felt! On the Way of the Cross, most of them had abandoned Him. Yet when He came to them, He did not say, "Where were you? Why did you abandon Me?" Instead, Jesus spoke words of consolation and peace and He told His disciples not to be afraid.

"Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid." John 14:27

Jesus loves you so much and He wants you to have His peace in your heart. How do you find that peace? Spend time with Jesus in prayer and in silence. When you are alone with Him, tell Him all the desires of your heart, tell Him all your fears and troubles. Then listen. When you quiet your mind and your heart, He will speak to you. As you spend time with Jesus, His peace will come upon you.

Meditation: Ponder these words and allow Jesus to speak in the silence. Open your heart to receive His love and peace. You are His beloved.

"Do not fear for I have redeemed you. I have called you by name; you are Mine. You are precious in My eyes and glorious and I love you." Isaiah 43:1,4

Jesus came to give us peace. He will never leave us alone. Our Lady of Fatima appeared to the shepherd children in 1917 gave us the key to peace in the world. She said, "I am the Lady of the Rosary. Say the Rosary every day to obtain peace in the world."   

"O Blessed Rosary of Mary, sweet chain that unites us to God, bond of love which unites us to the angels, tower of salvation against the assaults of Hell, safe port in our universal shipwreck, we will never abandon you.  You will be out comfort in the hour of death: yours our final kiss as life ebbs away.  And the last word from out lips will be your sweet name, O Queen of the Rosary of Pompeii, O Dearest Mother, O Refuge of Sinners, O Sovereign Consoler of the Afflicted, may you be everywhere blessed, today and always, on heaven and on earth." Saint Pope John Paul II, Apostolic Letter on the Rosary 

May we always remember Saint John Paul II's Apostolic Letter describing the Rosary as the "sweet chain that unites us to God."  

The Power of the Rosary
"The most holy Virgin in these last times in which we live has given a new efficacy to the recitation of the Rosary to such an extent that there is no problem, no matter how difficult it is, whether temporal or, above all, spiritual, in the personal life of each one of us, of our families, of the families of the world, or of the religious communities, or even of the life of peoples and nations, that cannot be solved by the Rosary. There is no problem, I tell you, no matter how difficult it is, that we cannot resolve by the prayer of the holy Rosary. With the holy Rosary, we will save ourselves; we will sanctify ourselves; we will console our Lord, and obtain the salvation of many souls." Conversation between Sr. Lucy of Fatima and Fr. Fuentes, Dec. 26, 1957

Do you desire peace? Do you pray the Rosary daily for peace? If not, begin today. 

Our Lady of the Rosary, we entrust to you all the names we receive through this prayer ministry. Keep them under your protective mantle and always in your loving care. Receive our rosaries and bring about peace in our hearts, our families, our country and our world.  Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us.