Why might Jesus greeting of peace have been so welcome to his disciples?
(They were gathered in the upper room in fear; they had witnessed Jesus’ death on the Cross). Say: As witnesses to Jesus’ death, Jesus’ disciples had been very much a part of a situation of conflict. They gathered together in fear, perhaps because they thought that some people would seek their deaths as well. They very much needed to hear Jesus’ words of peace and reassurance. • Say: The feast of Pentecost celebrates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon Jesus’ first disciples. This same Holy Spirit is still with us. After breathing upon them and giving them the gift of the Holy Spirit, what does Jesus tell his disciples to do? (to forgive sins) • Say: Just as Jesus sent his disciples to forgive the sins of others, so too we are sent to bring peace to the world. We also have been given the gift of the Holy Spirit to help us with this task. • Say: Looking back at the situation of conflict we talked about at the beginning, what might the Holy Spirit lead us to do to help bring peace to thi
