In the Gospel reading today Jesus offers words of consolation to His disciples even as He prepares them for His departure from them. He promises them the gift of peace but not the peace the world offers. This gift of peace will be the peace Jesus gives them when He has fulfilled all His Father's wishes and passed through His suffering and death to the triumph of the Resurrection. This peace is the promise of His presence with them to the end of time. At this moment His disciples do not understand this, but Jesus is preparing them for when it does happen so that they will not lose faith. He reveals to them gradually that He is facing His suffering and death. Jesus shows them how much He loves His Father and how much He wants to fulfill the will of His Father, even to death, death on a cross.

How often in the gospel do we hear those same words "Do not let your hearts be troubled, do not be afraid". So many people in our world today live in fear and suffering and need to hear these same words spoken to them. Perhaps we ourselves are in need of these reassuring words and the gift of peace in our lives.