Peace be with you

Have you ever counted the number of times the word "peace" is said at Mass? Especially after the Eucharistic prayer? If not, that's totally okay... but it is said six times in that very short time, before we turn to our neighbors and offer them the Sign of Peace. Have you ever wondered why? I think I was at a RCIA class once, where we were talking about the peace Jesus wants to give us. The peace Jesus wants to share with us, and the peace He wants us to have in our hearts. And ever since then, I listen a lot to the word "peace" at Mass, and love the part in John 20:19-22,

"....Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, "Peace be with you.".... Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the holy Spirit.""

 It just brings a comfort to me. I picture Jesus saying that to me, "Peace be with you." A man full of kindness, love, compassion. A soft voice, yet strong, "Peace be with you." A voice saying He is always with us. I then came across a meditation in the Magnificat about this peace. It said that Prophet Micah assures us that Peace is a Person. "He shall be peace." ~Micah 5:4. I never realized it in that way, and now it makes so much more sense of why the word "Peace" is mentioned so many times only after Jesus comes in the Eucharist at Mass.  We pray for peace, and offer it to others after the Eucharistic prayer, "because Peace, whose name is Jesus, has come among us."  When we offer that peace to each other, in the Sign of Peace, we know that many of who we are greeting, offering that kindness of peace to, may be going through a hard, challenging time in their life. And now when we know that Jesus is that Peace, as a person, we can share and encourage with one another that Jesus is and will be present in every difficulty.  "He who is Peace promises to be with us always."  So next time I am at Mass, I know I will be offering the Sign of Peace in a different way through my heart. In a way, whether it's through a hand shake or squeeze, a hug, a kiss, a smile, or a wave, that I pray is able to give them an extra hope, that Jesus is with them always.

There was a special peace about last nights sunset.