"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you.” — Matthew 28:19-20
We are asking Jesus for one person from each parish to pray 5 decades of the Holy Rosary and the Divine Mercy Chaplet with us daily. Please pray that these people join us in spreading Divine Mercy. In addition if you feel lead by the Holy Spirit to join us; are blessed by this Apostolate and are able, please consider giving a $1 a month to help us do works of mercy as a group. Individually we are limited, together we are unlimited in our potential. God bless, Todd
Jehovah-Shalom
Shalom means "health, prosperity, peace, favor and wholly well". It is the traditional greeting in Israel, and is God's greeting to us as His children. Shalom is also synonymous with the definition of blessing. It is the force that brings us blessing and is the power of God upon our lives.
In the covenant, it is God's faithfulness to fulfill the promises of blessing, and our rest and assurance that He shall become all of those blessings for us. Therefore, when we sing "He is our Peace", we are singing He is our health (Jehovah-Rophe), our prosperity (Jehovah-Jireh), our peace (Jehovah-Shalom), our favor (Jehovah-Shammah) and the one who keeps us wholly well (Jehovah-M'Kaddesh).
Jehovah-Shalom is the peace of His people and the hope of the fulfilled covenant in Jesus, the anointed one. The name Jehovah-Shalom is first revealed in Judges 6:23-24, "And the Lord said unto him (Gideon), Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die. Then Gideon built an altar there unto the Lord, and called it Jehovah-Shalom: unto this day it is yet in Oprah of the Abiezrites."
Israel was being overrun by the Midianites and God had appeared before Gideon and called him to deliver His people. Gideon's story is a great triumph of faith, and shows the great faithfulness of God to deliver His people and give them peace. The beginning of the gospel story carries with it that same peace.
At the birth of Jesus, Luke records in chapter 2:13-14, "And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, good will toward men." The shalom of God had come to earth in the person of Jesus of Nazareth!
In Jeremiah 29:11-13, God reveals His plans for us. "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me, and I will hearken unto you."
Jesus confirms this in Matthew 7:7-12. "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask for bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask Him? Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets."
Jesus gives us His peace in John 14:26-27, "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."
That peace keeps us when trouble comes. Psalms 91 reminds us of the results of that peace. "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide unto the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in Him will I trust. Surely He shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. He shall cover thee with His feathers, and under His wings shalt thou trust His truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day." Shalom!
Finally, Paul reminds us of the result of the peace of Jesus in Philippians 4:4-9, "Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received and heard, and seen in me, do; and the God of peace shall be with you."
This is an excerpt from the free ebook "The Covenant of Grace and Mercy" which can be read in its entirety on this site via the page index. Todd
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