Tuesday of the 5th Week of Easter

In today's Gospel passage, Jesus offers comfort and courage to His disciples, who are anxious about His impending death. He tells them, "Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid," a message that recurs throughout the Gospel. This reassures us of Jesus's unwavering love and support.

As disciples of Jesus, there are times when we need to be challenged and times when we need encouragement. Jesus and St. Paul understood how to provide that encouragement when a renewed heart was necessary.

Today, the Risen Lord continues to uplift His disciples. When we feel discouraged about our options, it can bring us down and hinder us from taking action. The Lord desires to instill fresh enthusiasm in our hearts, which the Gospel describes as a peace that the world cannot give. This peace is not the absence of conflict, but rather a deep sense of tranquility and security that comes from strong faith in Jesus.

Therefore, it is fruitful to invite Jesus to renew our enthusiasm so that we can joyfully live out our faith. He strengthens us through the Holy Spirit, often called the "Comforter" or "Consoler." So, we turn to the Holy Spirit and pray for the refreshment and renewal we need.