Sunday Reflections

“Let Peace Begin with Me”    

Our first reading might remind us of something. Yes, it reminds us of how Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. Jesus knows the Old Testament. He knows about this passage from the prophet Zechariah. Jesus consciously chooses to ride into Jerusalem on a donkey. This is an indication the Jesus wants to bring peace to the world. You cannot make war on a donkey! Jesus comes into Jerusalem as a non-violent person, bringing peace. Unlike the Messiah or Christ that people had hoped for—one who would overthrow the Romans with violence and war—Jesus is a messiah armed with meekness and humility.

The gospel invites us to enter into a different kind of world than the one in which we live. The gospel invites us to enter into a world that is committed to the reign of God. The “rest” that Jesus offers comes from the fruits of non-violence. This “rest” is the fruit of the peace that the prophets of Israel desired for the whole world.

There is an old song, written by Jill Jackson-Miller and Sy Miller in 1955: “Let there be peace in earth, and let it begin with me.” The message of the song is as true today as it was in 1955. We can talk about peace. We can hope for peace. But let peace begin with me.