Jesus said to his disciples: “Behold, the hour is coming and has arrived when each of you will be scattered to his own home and you will leave me alone. But I am not alone, because the Father is with me. I have told you this so that you might have peace in me. In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world." (Jn §6:19-33)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/052223.cfm
When I was in college there was a popular board game of world conquest called Risk. Of course, that’s NOT what Jesus is talking about. Jesus conquers the world not through war and violence. In the Passion Narrative, Jesus tells Peter to “put away the sword” (Mt 26:52). Rather it is through Love and the Offering of himself that Jesus conquers the world and wins our hearts.
These reflections are a result of more than 40 years of ministry as a Roman Catholic priest. Most of these years I spent in the Diocese of Charlotte which covers Western North Carolina. Now I am retired, and live in Medellín, Colombia where I continue to serve as a priest in the Archdiocese of Medellín.
Monday, Week VII, Easter
