“Would that you knew the things that make for peace.”
An Easter Message from the Bishop of St Asaph
The culmination of Jesus’ life and ministry happened when he came to the holy city of Jerusalem. His disciples greeted him on a day we know as Palm Sunday because they tore down palm branches to welcome him. Jesus rode into the city and as he did so, he said: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, would that you knew the things that make for peace.”
Those are profound words, not least because, sadly, Jerusalem has been a city fought over, ever since. And as we approach Easter, our thoughts and prayers ought to be with Palestine and Israeli as they battle out, once again, for control of the twice promised land.
“O that you would know the things that make for peace.” And when Jesus speaks of peace, he doesn’t just mean an absence of war. When Jesus speaks of peace, he talks about a centeredness in our hearts; a knowledge of God’s blessing that things shall be well and all manner of things shall be well.
When the risen Jesus, after the painful events of Good Friday, greeted his disciples, the first thing he said to them was “Peace be with you.” Because for Christians, the resurrection of Jesus is a sign of God’s commitment to us and to the world, to be at work with us; that hope can never die; that faith can never come to an end. There is always the possibility of more life in God. And that is a message of peace. It’s a message which can give us confidence and hope. It’s a message which, in the end, turns the world on its head.
“Pe bait tithau, y dydd hwn, wedi adnabod ffordd tangnefedd.”
Neges Basg gan Esgob Llanelwy
Tua diwedd bywyd a gweinidogaeth Iesu ar y ddaear, cafwyd achlysur nodedig pan ddaeth i mewn i ddinas sanctaidd Jerwsalem. Cafodd ei gyfarch gan ei ddisgyblion ar ddiwrnod rydym ni’n ei alw’n Sul y Blodau, neu Sul y Palmwydd gan i’r bobl ei groesawu â changhennau palmwydd. Wrth i Iesu farchogaeth i’r ddinas, dywedodd: “O Jerwsalem, Jerwsalem, Petaet ti, hyd yn oed heddiw, ond wedi deall beth fyddai’n dod â heddwch parhaol i ti!”
Mae’r rhain yn eiriau dwys, yn enwedig gan fod pobl wedi brwydro dros Jerwsalem byth ers hynny, gwaetha’r modd. Ac wrth i ni nesáu at y Pasg, dylai’r Palestiniaid a’r Israeliaid fod yn ein meddyliau a’n gweddïau wrth iddynt frwydro, unwaith eto, am reolaeth dros y wlad a fu’n destun dau addewid.
“Pe bait tithau, y dydd hwn, wedi adnabod ffordd tangnefedd.” A phan fydd Iesu’n sôn am heddwch, mae’n golygu mwy nag absenoldeb rhyfel. Wrth sôn am heddwch, mae’n Iesu’n golygu llonyddwch yn ein calonnau; ymdeimlad a ddaw oddi wrth Dduw y bydd popeth yn dda.
Wrth gyfarch ei ddisgyblion ar ôl digwyddiadau poenus Dydd Gwener y Groglith, y peth cyntaf a ddywedodd Iesu wrthynt oedd “Tangnefedd i chwi”. Oherwydd, i Gristnogion, mae atgyfodiad Iesu’n arwydd o ymrwymiad Duw i ni ac i’r byd; ymrwymiad i fod ar waith gyda ni; addewid na fydd gobaith yn marw ac na all ffydd ddod i ben. Mae bob amser yn bosibl cael bywyd helaethach gyda Duw. A dyna neges sy’n cynnig heddwch. Mae’n neges a all roi hyder a gobaith inni. Mae’n neges sydd, yn y pen draw, yn troi’r byd wyneb i waered.