Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ (John 20:19)
The first gift of the resurrected Jesus to the disciples is peace. Why would they need peace? There is the obvious reason that the disciples were confused and upset at the loss of their friend. The disciples were ‘afraid of the Jews’ (remember that ’the Jews’ in John’s Gospel refers to the Jews who did not believe in Jesus – since the disciples & Jesus were themselves Jewish). When we are afraid, we need peace. If we are not at peace, we can’t be our true selves which also affects our relationships. Peace is and always will be an enormous gift.

The current popularity of meditation and mindfulness techniques shows how much people (young and old) crave peace. Our task is to guide the young people in our care towards opportunities to experience and savour peace. Whether it is through meditation, appreciating the wonder of God’s creation, Taize prayer, mindfulness techniques or a myriad of other forms, such opportunities can provide a space for young people to experience stillness and grasp their wholeness – bringing them closer to peace.

Have a great week…and term!
Patrick