A reading from the holy Gospel according to John 14:27-31a
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.
Not as the world gives do I give it to you.
Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.
You heard me tell you,
‘I am going away and I will come back to you.’
If you loved me,
you would rejoice that I am going to the Father;
for the Father is greater than I.
And now I have told you this before it happens,
so that when it happens you may believe.
I will no longer speak much with you,
for the ruler of the world is coming.
He has no power over me,
but the world must know that I love the Father
and that I do just as the Father has commanded me.”
REFLECTION: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.
Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid."
After praying for God's guidance, I moved back to Houston to finish my last year of an Internal Medicine residency. It would be difficult as I would know no one of the residents and I would have no friends. There would be no comraderie among my fellow workers.
But I felt a very strong urge to come back to Texas. The move was difficult with my head residency supervisor upset with my decision to leave, a long car ride from Michigan to Texas with a carload of my belongings, and then finding an apartment miles away from the Houston medical center. Parking was too expensive so I relied on an off campus bus for transportation. The hours were long and tedious. Physically and emotionally I was drained.
I had uprooted my life to be closer to home and family. In prayer, I whispered," Lord, what have I done?" I had lost my peace and my comfort zone. My patience was wearing pretty thin. And He answered me, "I AM your peace."
God had put it in me to leave all behind and to follow His will. That same year, my father died unexpectedly and I thank God I was able to spend good quality time with him. I was there to help my mother in her grief. And that same year I met my future husband.
Years prior, God had prepared my way. No complaints now. God is my peace. And as He reminded me, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid." Amen to that.
God Bless You.
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