Peace and Pentecost

"Peace is what I leave with you,
it is my own peace that I give you.
I do not give it as the world does
Do not be worried and upset, do not be afraid"
John 14: 27

I have often found the word "Legacy" interesting. It often refers to a legal term of an amount of money that is left by someone in their will to another person or a charity. Churches have been the recipient of legacies, and they are hugely appreciated as a lasting gift. All Saints and St Marys' over the years have been blessed with such generosity. Yet "Legacy" can also mean "the long lasting impact of particular actions or events that took place in a person's lifetime". It is what they "leave us with".

So, what does Jesus "leave us with" after the resurrection?

As we come to celebrate the festivals of Ascension and Pentecost, Jesus tells us he leaves us his Peace. What is the difference between the peace that the world gives, and the peace that Jesus leaves? What does that look like? Why are they different? Are they ever compatible?

The world has been striving for peace since its earliest beginnings. Countries, families, cultures find peace a struggle. The world, humanity, seems keenly drawn to conflict and clashes. And yet peace is something that the world and humanity also strives to achieve, with many dedicating their lives to inspire and encourage people and places to reconciliation and peaceful solutions. Jesus was not immune to conflict. He was born into a time and place where conflict was constant, with struggles between emperors and rulers, with his own people being under occupation. Jesus, as recorded in the gospels, is himself often in conflict with the religious rulers of his Jewish faith. He had flashes of anger, turning over tables. He gets testy with his own family and disciples. Yet he was also someone who healed, inspired, brought people together, told parables about people who forgave each other and welcomed strangers.

Perhaps then the peaceful path is to start at the end of the sentence of John 14:27 - "Do not be afraid". Being frightened of someone or something is often central to conflict, be it with others or ourselves. That inner sense of worry that we do not have enough, are not good enough, are going to lose out, are alone, fail at something or get hurt, And that makes sense, lots of sense if our experience and that around us tells us that is how the world is. Yet Jesus says clearly at Ascension and Pentecost that we are not alone and that we are not to be afraid, that we are enough, that there will be enough. When I am frightened, a ball of fury and ready to unleash that on the world, then prayer is a place that I can take all of that. It changes me. It challenges me. It makes me ask the deeper vulnerable questions of Why are you so afraid Lizzie? What is really going on here? And what are you going to do with that now? It does not always make the conflict disappear, but it does cast Jesus peace into the conversation, enough perhaps for me to remember the times, places and people who have left me their legacies of wisdom and peace.

Wishing you a prayerful and peaceful Pentecost.
Revd Lizzie

Holy Spirit, sent by the Father,
ignite in us your holy fire;
strengthen your children with the gift of faith,
revive your Church with the breath of love,
and renew the face of the earth,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.