By Bishop of Geraldton, Michael Morrissey
“Peace be with you all!”
With these words, Pope Leo XIV greeted the world after his election in 2025 and went on to say,“these are the first words spoken by the risen Christ, the Good Shepherd, who laid down His life for God’s flock…a peace that is unarmed and disarming, humble and persevering. A peace that comes from God, the God who loves us all, unconditionally.”
How prophetic were the Pope’s words in 2025!
In 2026 we are living in a world of uncertainty with conflicts happening in many places where peace for ordinary people and their families is non-existent. There is deep concern for safety in our world with no end in sight to the many conflicts. Our own local communities have many people and families experiencing cost-of-living challenges, causing unease and immense pressure.
In John’s Gospel for the Second Sunday of Easter (20:19-31), the greeting “peace be with you” is proclaimed three times by the Risen Lord.
The first brings peace to the fear, sadness, helplessness and sense of betrayal the disciples were experiencing following the darkness of Good Friday.
The second immediately precedes the disciples commissioning and receiving of the Holy Spirit, transforming their lives from darkness and fear to people of faith, hope and love.
The disciples were filled with peace and spiritual joy and continued to be, despite rejection, ridicule and persecution in choosing to say yes to following the way of the Risen Lord.
The third greeting of peace leads to a personal and poignant encounter by the Risen Lord revealing the kindness and compassion of God who returns for Thomas.
Thomas, the disciple of many questions during the ministry of Jesus, continues to be overcome by grief and disbelief despite his friends joyfully telling him they have seen the Risen Lord.
Given what is happening in our world at this time, being so visible and real on social media platforms, we too can be overwhelmed like Thomas, allowing the situation to control our lives where spiritual joy and hope become absent!
True peace seems to be a goal we can never obtain and seems like an illusion for many people. Fear then controls all our decisions where love itself for our neighbour and the person in need becomes absent or not important.
Jesus who personally returned for Thomas in the Gospel returns for us, bringing his peace and offering the same message of hope and joy despite situations or circumstances impacting upon our lives.
Jesus said to Thomas, “You believe because you can see me. Happy are those who have not seen and yet believe.”
Easter reveals the Risen Lord is present always and we do not have to fear! Easter reminds us that we too are commissioned and have received the Holy Spirit to be the face of the Risen Lord. It is his peace given to us that we bring to our communities through listening, being kind and generous with our time and, as Pope Leo says, be a person of humility and perseverance.
May the generosity of our heart and spirit lighten the burdens of others revealing peace is possible in our local communities through our own peaceful encounters with each other.
+ Most Rev Michael Morrissey
Bishop of Geraldton