In the gospel today, Luke presents the sending out of the seventy-two disciples. We recognise a sense of urgency in the instructions of Jesus: do not greet anyone on the road, and only carry essentials. This is not some touristic road trip; these are missionaries with only one purpose: to bring peace wherever their travels might take them. In these featured times, the Easter gift of peace is one of the most important, and needed, gift in our world today.

While we pray for a just peace in Ukraine, we remember all those situations of conflict that can destroy our world. Most importantly, we must work for peace and harmony in those situations that we have some level of control over. We need to ensure that our families and friends can live in our peace. Do we offer that open hand of friendship when we feel injured and hurt? Are we prepared to make the first move? Do we hold petty grudges and wait for the other to make a move? Does the idea of 'peace' feature in our own way of dealing with others?

The mission of the 72 disciples is to be peacemakers in the towns, villages and neighbourhoods that they visit. On returning for their debrief after the mission, they speak of being empowered. This sharing in the mission of Jesus has given them a great buzz! In true style, Jesus wants his friends to be grounded in reality, and, in no way, be big-headed. Rather they should point beyond their personal success and recognise the beauty of God's own peace working through them.

The challenge for us is the same as we strive to make our own parish that haven of peace where people can feel safe, accepted and wanted. This exciting mission is there for each of us: only you can make those changes needed in your own lives and community. You can be the change we need in our parish this week. Your contribution to this global mission of peace is needed and essential. Be that change you want to see this week. As true advocates of peace, we must use more than just nice words, as Pope Francis reminds us:

The world does not need empty words but convinced witnesses, peacemakers who are open to a dialogue that rejects exclusion or manipulation…Learning "to live in forgiveness, we grow in our capacity to become men and women of peace."

Author: Fr Gerry O'Shaughnessy SDB

Image: Photo by Adrienne Merritt on Unsplash