Today’s Scripture Readings

Gospel Reading

NRSV

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. You heard me say to you, “I am going away, and I am coming to you.” If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I. And now I have told you this before it occurs, so that when it does occur, you may believe. I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no power over me; but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us be on our way.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus speaks words that reach into the very heart of our lives: fear, grief, uncertainty, and the quiet anxieties we carry for ourselves and for the world. These are real and deeply human experiences. And it is precisely into this space that Jesus offers his gift: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.”

This peace is unlike anything the world can offer. It is not the absence of trouble, nor a fragile calm dependent on circumstances. It is a peace grounded in relationship, a living, abiding connection with Christ himself. As he speaks these words at the Last Supper, Jesus knows what lies ahead: suffering, death, and yet also resurrection. This is the source of our Easter hope. His peace is not shallow or fleeting; it is forged through the cross and made new in the resurrection.

For me, these words bring faith alive because they remind me that I am not alone. Even when fear or grief feels overwhelming, Christ remains present. His peace holds steady. It draws me back, again and again, to keep my eyes fixed on him and to trust that this relationship endures beyond all uncertainty.

And this peace gives direction. Jesus says, “Rise, let us be on our way.” (John 14:31) This is the movement of Easter. His peace calls us forward, to live as people of the resurrection, to move through the world with faith, trust, and hope. It invites us not to remain in fear, but to rise with the Risen Christ and follow where he leads.

Ultimately, this peace is a relationship: a deep, sustaining communion with Jesus, who is with us still, who walks with us, and who leads us onward in hope.

Do you seek Christ’s Easter peace each day?