John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”
We continue this month in the Easter season with the focus on the promises our parents and sponsors made at our Baptism, and then learned through our own faith development, so we could commit to those promises for ourselves at Confirmation. I hope reviewing these promises and listening to the encounters between Jesus and his disciples in this first half of our Easter season has helped to deepen your relationship with God. Easter is a season that helps us recognize Jesus in our own lives by hearing the stories about Jesus with the disciples after the Resurrection. He shows himself in body when he comes into the upper room while they hide from the authorities. And he tells them not to fear and then makes himself known to them in the bread and wine. We continue learning about Jesus as He prepares us to know Him without his physical presence. Jesus lives on in us in Spirit and strengthens us with that spirit to live on and carry out God’s mission in this world to love and care for one another.
May is a crazy, busy month for many as we experience graduations, Mother’s Day, and make preparations for the summer schedules, but take time in the midst of all that to “see” God and breathe in the goodness of God’s presence in our lives. Breathe out the busyness of our lives. Find moments this month to watch the trees and bushes fully blossom, breathe in the freshness of new life, and as you spring clean, breathe out the old dust and debris in your minds that keep you from fully seeing Jesus present among us.
Blessings in this journey,
Pastor Patti