As people of God, we are called to go out to all the world and tell the Good News that the kindness of the Lord endures forever. On a more concrete level, we are called to proclaim hope instead of despair, confidence instead of fear, and faith instead of unbelief. But how do we convince ourselves and our weary travelers in this life that we have nothing to fear? Some of us even grow anxious and fearful when we read the Bible. We identify with Thomas. We are Thomas. We want more assurance that the Lord is with us. We want Jesus to stand right in front of us and say “Peace be with you.” The Good News is that he does just that in the community of believers.
Every Sunday morning the pastor or priest says, “The Lord be with you,” and we respond confidently, “and with you too” several times during the worship service. And at some point, we all turn and greet each other with “The Peace of Christ.” This is the same thing as having Jesus speak directly to us. As members of the household of God, we are held together in a sacred structure in the Lord. The Spirit of Christ dwells with us. But I think it takes one more act of faith to see the Lord. The peace of the Lord seems most real to me when I see the mark of suffering in the lives of my brothers and sisters in Christ. It is when we place our hands on their wounds that Jesus becomes more visible in our midst.
We are called, I think, to not struggle with our fears and unbelief alone, although our journey is a deeply personal one, but to identify with the fears and unbelief of others. To those very real fears and despair, we must witness God’s steadfast kindness. I can feel the peace of the Lord more fully when I reflect that I am not a stranger or sojourner, but a fellow citizen with the holy ones in the house of God. I experience so much kindness from others in this house and hope to grow in the faith that enables me to share that kindness with others. Writing and reading daily reflections is an opportunity for people of faith throughout the world to share the Good News and the Peace of Christ. I believe that as I write, “The Peace of Christ be with you,” to anyone whose heart is weary with fear and despair today, that Christ’s Peace is with me too.
Barbara Dilly
I came to Creighton in 2000 and retired in 2020. My twenty years of teaching, research and service in the Jesuit tradition enhanced my own life. It was an exciting time of celebration. I loved teaching and interacting with Creighton students because they responded so eagerly to the Ignatian pedagogical emphasis on the development of the whole person. It is this spirit of whole person development and celebration of life that I hope to infuse in my reflection writings.
My academic background is eclectic, preparing me well for the Liberal Arts academic environment at Creighton. I earned my BA in World Arts and Cultures from UCLA in 1988 and my Ph.D. in Comparative Cultures from the University of California, Irvine in 1994. My research focused on rural communities in the American Midwest, Latin America, and Australia. I taught Environmental Anthropology, Qualitative Research Methods, Social and Cultural Theory, and Food Studies courses.
I retired to Shell Rock, a small rural community in Northeast Iowa where I enjoy gardening, cooking, quilting, driving my 65 Impala convertible an my 49 Willys Jeepster. I have lots of fun playing my guitars with friends from the Cedar Valley Acoustic Guitar Association. But most importantly, I am still working to make my community and rural America a better place. I host a community quilt studio and serve on the Mission Board of my church. I also serve as the Climate Committee Chair and on the Executive Board of the Center for Rural Affairs.
