J 14, 27-31a

Stand in God’s presence. God is present here and now, looking upon you with love.

Ask for the Grace: I will beg God our Lord that all my intentions and actions may be directed purely to the praise and service of His Divine Majesty 

Fixing a place, a picture for meditation: Jesus is with his disciples. See the place where they are staying: how it looks, notice how and where Jesus and his disciples are in this room

Ask for the fruit of meditation: for the experience of peace, which is the result of a living relationship with Christ

1.Loss and new.

Jesus prepares his disciples for his departure. He must go away because he loves his Father and fulfills his will to the end. However, he promises he come to them, which may concern his coming after the Resurrection. We also know from an earlier verse (cf. J14,26) that he will send them the Holy Spirit – the Helper, he also says that they shouldn’t let their hearts be troubled and do not let them be afraid (cf. J 14, 27b). So, disciples probably don’t understand it, they don’t yet know that Jesus’ leaving does not only mean loss, but is associated with an acquisition, a gift of something new.

Try as much as you can be with disciples: what’s going on inside them, what’s worrying, what does them give hope?

In the present time, we can also feel anxiety, uncertainty, fearing for the future, we can experience various losses (existential, related to human relations, material, or our patterns falling apart, or even our values). The loss creates an empty space that waits to be filled. It depends on us what will be created in this place.

2.Peace.

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Peace is one of the gifts of the resurrected Jesus. It does not mean an external peace, no conflicts or wars. Rather, it means associated with happiness, unity, fullness, and a sense of inner, deep security resulting from being rooted in Christ. Peace is sharing my gift of faith, life and joy as a result of my relationship with God. This peace is especially needed by the poor, who need contact that will bring them hope and joy. Maybe you are poor many times, you need material support, conversation, the presence of another person.Consider what peace in the context of the above reflection do you give to others? How do you accept peace from others? How do you look for peace and where do you find it? What does Christ’s presence bring to your life, what gifts do you receive from him?

3. Exercise.

Read the following fragment of the pericope and put your name next to the word << you >>:

Peace I leave with you+ your name; my peace I give to you + your name. Not as the world gives do I give it to you + your name. Do not let your +your name hearts be troubled or afraid.What’s going on in you, what do you feel reading so? Talk to Jesus about this.

Meditation: St Ignatius encourages in The Spiritual Exercises No. 2 … Because not so much knowledge, but internal feeling and the taste of things please and saturate the soul, that is, we stay where we feel interior movement … and nervously do not try to go on.

The final conversation: Spend a little time at the end, being with God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit….as you would with a good friend: sometimes talking, sometimes listening, sometimes being together in silence. Speak to God about your feelings. Remember that times when ‘nothing is happening’ can also be significant. When you’re ready, end your prayer by saying thank you or using words that are familiar, such as the Lord’s Prayer (Our Father)–whichever feels right and comfortable. (The Spiritual Exercises No.54)