Gospel in Art: Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.

CND Soldiers, Created by BANKSY, Sprayed and painted in 2003

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 5 May 2026
John 14:27-31a

At that time: Jesus said to his disciples, 'Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. You heard me say to you, "I am going away, and I will come to you." If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place you may believe. I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me, but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father.'

Reflection on the print

In our Gospel reading today, Jesus speaks words that go straight to the heart of his message: "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you." These are not distant words, they are spoken by the priest at every Mass, just before we exchange the sign of peace. In recent weeks, as wars continue to scar our world, Pope Leo XIV has repeatedly called us back to this truth: peace is not optional! The quest for peace lies at the very core of our Catholic faith.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church in Catechism of the Catholic Church 2304 states: "Respect for and development of human life require peace. Peace is not merely the absence of war, and it is not limited to maintaining a balance of powers between adversaries. Peace cannot be attained on earth without safeguarding the goods of persons, free communication among men, respect for the dignity of persons and peoples, and the assiduous practice of fraternity. Peace is "the tranquillity of order." I do like those words 'the tranquility of order'. The phrase "tranquillity of order" comes from Augustine of Hippo, especially in his work The City of God. By this, Augustine means that true peace is not simply the absence of conflict, but a state where everything is rightly ordered: where our hearts are aligned with God, our relationships are just, and each part of life is in harmony with its proper place.

In other words, peace begins in the human heart. It is built in small, daily choices: patience instead of anger, forgiveness instead of resentment, understanding instead of division. Peace is therefore not only the task of political leaders and nations; it is the vocation of every Christian. Each of us is called to become a bearer of Christ's peace in our homes, our relationships, and our communities.

One of Banksy's most striking anti-war works, CND Soldiers, first appeared in Parliament Square in 2003, inspired by the real-life peace protest led by Brian Haw. The image shows two British soldiers, armed and in full military uniform, carefully painting a large peace symbol (the emblem of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament) onto a wall. The contrast is immediate and unsettling: figures trained for conflict are engaged in an act of peace. It is both ironic and deeply thought-provoking, as all of Banksy's work.

On one level, Banksy highlights the tension between war and the human longing for peace, suggesting that even those sent to fight may inwardly desire something very different. On another level, the work critiques political decisions and the machinery of war, especially in the context of the Iraq War at the time. By placing this image initially on Parliament Square, near the heart of political power, Banksy invites us to question authority, to reflect on the cost of conflict, and to consider whether true peace can ever be imposed by force... or whether it must begin, as all lasting peace does, within the human heart first.

LINKS

Christian Art: https://christian.art/
Today's reading: https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/john-14-27-31a-2026/