“O’
God be gracious and bless us, let your face shed its light
upon us.”
This Psalm was originally used in praise
of God as the people prayed for a good harvest. Rich fields
and a bountiful harvest would reflect the smile of God on
the people. In John’s Gospel Jesus offers several motives
for consolation to the disciples before he leaves them. Every
line tells us more of the smile of three divine persons towards
us.
The Father comes to dwell within us: the
Holy Spirit will be our inner light: the victory of Jesus
will be our source of peace. The harvest that we celebrate
in the Easter season brings home the fruits of Christ’s
death and resurrection. We are not to worry about what the
future holds. Instead, we are invited to contemplate the golden
future that God has in store for his beloved people. Our ultimate
future is secure.
Our merciful God is supreme, utterly to be
trusted with our future, both individual and collective. With
faith in God comes Peace. Even Jesus’ first greeting
to the disciples after Easter was ‘Peace’. Peace
is not a feeling, a kind of temporary peak experience. It’s
a state of calm rising from a heart deeply and firmly established
in God.
‘All will be well and all manner of things will be well.’
– Julian of Norwich.
