SIXTH SUNDAY OF EASTER

5/09/10 Sixth Sunday of Easter

You may have seen the T-shirts that say: “No God, No Peace. Know God, Know Peace.” It’s an important message. Anxiety and depression are big in business in the United States. TV commercials are filled with ads for medication to help people fight these conditions. It is estimated that depression affects about 14 million Americans a year. Studies indicate that about a third of American adults will have at least one panic attack in their lifetime. This data means that panic disorder is now more common than alcohol abuse or depression. In today’s Gospel, Jesus appears before his frightened disciples. Jesus knew that his sudden appearance in the locked room would be shocking, so his first concern was to calm them by saying, “Peace.” We all need to invite Jesus into our life so that we will know his peace.