To the Jewish nation which had been destroyed in war and whose leaders were in exile, the Lord promised an everlasting covenant of peace. This promise was ultimately fulfilled in Jesus, "Who is our Peace" (Eph 2:14), and Who left us the gift of peace in His last will and testament (Jn 14:27). Moreover, Jesus, "the God of peace" (Rm 16:20; 1 Thes 5:23; Heb 13:20), made His disciples peacemakers (Mt 5:9).
We receive Jesus' gift of peace and make peace by:
To receive and make peace is humanly impossible. We need a miracle. We need Easter. Receive the miracle of Easter peace by putting your heart and soul into Holy Week. The Lord has planned "immeasurably more than we ask or imagine" (Eph 3:20). Receive "God's own peace, which is beyond all understanding" (Phil 4:7).
| PRAYER: | Father, make this Holy Week one of the most important weeks of my life. |
| PROMISE: | "This caused many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, to put their faith in Him." –Jn 11:45 |
| PRAISE: | St. Isidore, who died in 636 AD, was named a Doctor of the Church in 1722. Among his many achievements was evangelizing the Visigoths, barbarian adherents to the Arian heresy. |
Reprinted with permission from Presentation Ministries, a lay association of the Catholic Church that focuses on evangelization and discipleship through Bible teaching, daily Mass, the charisms of the Holy Spirit, and Small Christian Community. Their ministries include:
· One Bread, One Body
· Daily Bread Radio Program
· Annual Bible Institute
· Discipleship Retreats
· Guadalupe Bible College