Homilies

When Jesus speaks of peace, he promises something very different from what we usually imagine. He declares, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you.” Christ offers us a peace unlike any other—distinct from worldly promises and entirely free of conditions or threats.

Consider how the world typically delivers peace: often through force, dominance, or transactional arrangements. We might think of ancient Rome, whose emperors boasted of establishing peace across conquered territories. Yet this peace was maintained through fear, enforced with violence, and secured only through suffering and loss. Even today, worldly peace often comes disguised as a transaction: “We will give you protection if you give us something valuable in return.” Such peace is fleeting and fragile, inherently unstable because it is built upon conditional promises and shaky foundations.

The early Christians stood out—not because of unique clothing or special customs, nor because they spoke their own language or lived separately from others—but because they behaved differently. They were ordinary people indistinguishable from their neighbors in all outward appearances, yet they were known unmistakably by one profound truth: the way they loved.

Jesus speaks clearly: “This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” It is not our attire, nationality, or language that sets us apart. It is not even the symbols we wear or the places we gather. Rather, it is our willingness to embody love—to make tangible and visible the love that Christ himself has shown us.

When we have doubts about someone’s integrity, we often say, “Actions speak louder than words.” And indeed, genuine love, trustworthiness, and compassion become real to us not through promises or claims, but through what someone actually does.

This is at the heart of Jesus’ words: “My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” Jesus makes clear that following him is not about simply knowing the right words or holding correct beliefs. Rather, true discipleship is revealed in our actions—actions that reflect his own. The context of this Gospel is people asking Jesus to speak plainly and reveal whether he is the messiah. Jesus responds by pointing not to what he has said, but to what he has done. His works—healing the sick, caring for the poor, forgiving sinners—speak clearly and powerfully. They are the signs that God the Father is present, working in and through him.