“Then Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.’ And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’” (John 20:21)
This alone if nothing else one realizes and takes away from the Divine Liturgyâthe peace of Christ. This makes it worth every effort to be present among Christ’s loved ones. Who is more fright-filled than those Galileans in Jerusalem on the day when Jesus Christ had been crucified, and they were certain that they were next. Trembling with fear, expecting at any moment for the door to be broken in and to be driven away for execution—suddenly He appears, not through the door but in their midst. He was there all the time, or rather there in their presence incognito. That even ought to inspire all of us, especially when we are afraid.
The great spiritual lay writer Paul Evdokimov wrote: “A lay person is also one who is freed by his faith from ‘the great fear’ of the bomb, of cancer, of Communism, of death. The faith of such a person is always a way of loving the world, a way of following the Lord even into hell.” (Ages of the Spiritual Life, p. 242) Yes, that was the last century. Today we no longer fear Communism, thank the Lord, but we have exchanged fears. Then our presidents thought to protect the USA with a defense shield that would prevent attacks from beyond our borders. Now we have become fearful of attacks within our land. Consider the exercises we go through to take a flight. We arrive at least an hour before scheduled takeoff, are sure to have an official photo image, have tickets in our name, baggage all vetted, then computers, coats, even shoes are sent through the screening apparatus, there is the possibility of a body search, and we are told to be suspicious of our fellow passengers. When out walking or jogging after dark, I cross over to the other side of the street if I notice a woman ahead of me alone, lest I startle her and cause her anxiety. Add to that road rage, the expression of pent-up hostility that males behind steering wheels vent on other vehicles as if the highways and streets were fields of combat and the drivers were the enemy. This is life in the new millennium.
You may find temporary relief from pills from the drug store’s shelves, even stronger with a physician’s prescription. However, you will discover the glorious lasting peace offered by our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ, a peace transcending anything the world has to offer, by clearing your mind and heart from the clutter of remembered offenses done to you with the help of the Holy Spirit within your soul, sweeping away all the detritus of hurts no longer in your power to react to, and thank Christ for the overwhelming gift of affection symbolized in the Cross. Then while you are in Church, forget your watch and what is going on around you. Learn to imbibe the peace of God that surpasses the ability to understand what God is doing for you and with your acceptance. Even if it lasts but a moment, try to cling to it, thank Him for the feeling, and strive to keep it with you as long as you are able, as you return to the challenges of the world outside.
As the choir sings “Lay aside all earthly cares,” you may imagine yourself wafting upward where the angels and saints hover above. The Spirit is like the helium in a balloon within you—let it fill you with peace. Your cares are like the heavy sand bags, weighing you down and preventing your ascent. Cut them off. You can see the priest ahead of you taking into the sacred altar the precious gifts of Jesus Christ Himself, offered by Him for the life of the world, and He invites you to proceed with Him. What’s holding you back? Are you enslaved to the wrongs, insults and injuries inflicted on you by the world, or do you belong to His Kingdom? If the latter, then don’t dally. Go with Him.