Tuesday of Fifth Week of Easter

What Drives Us?

In today’s Gospel, Jesus says, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you—not as the world gives do I give it to you.” The world often defines peace as everything going smoothly and life remaining comfortable. Yet in the first reading, Paul is stoned, dragged out of the city, and left for dead—and still he rises and continues his mission. This reveals a different kind of peace: not the absence of hardship, but a steady confidence rooted in Christ. When Acts tells us that Paul and Barnabas “spent no little time with the disciples,” it shows their commitment to remain, to strengthen, and to walk with others in faith. Their lives were no longer centered on comfort, but on Christ and the desire to bring others to Him. For us, this begins in a simple but profound place: recognizing who we receive in the Eucharist. As that relationship deepens, it gradually reshapes our priorities—moving us beyond self-focus and toward a quiet, steady concern for others. Christ’s peace does not remove difficulty, but it gives us the strength to remain faithful and to lead others toward Him.