John 20:19-31
19 When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” 22 When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” 24 But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.”
26 A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.” 28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. 31 But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.
Peace eradicates fear
The disciples are still living a mix of fear and despair. They expected Jesus to be "the one who would come and set Israel free" Luke 24:21.
Jesus' resurrection was the validation of His identity as the Son of God, and the triumph of both grace over sin and life over death. But they still have no evidence of Jesus being alive in spite of the womens' witness. They are full of fear, doubt and despair.
Jesus, described by a prophet as the "Prince of Peace" in Isaiah 9:6, appears to all of them except Thomas. They are gathered in a closed room out of fear of the Jews. They want to eradicate their fear, their despair and their loneliness.
Biblical translations tell that the Risen Lord greeted them saying, "Peace be with you" in John: 20:19b. I recommend consulting the Syriac Aramaic version, the popular language that Jesus and His disciples used, where we read that Jesus says to them, "The Peace is with you," which connotates, "The Peace who I am is with you." I am the peace that expels all kinds of fear, doubt, despair, and loneliness. Stop being idle, get rid of all that and get up. Regain your full, positive energy for a new worldwide mission. Proclaim and forgive. Make everything new as I do.
Eastern Churches call this Sunday "the New Sunday," a Sunday of renewal. Just as the Lord says to us " I am making everything new" Revelation 21:5.
Let us take a few minutes to reflect about how we renew our faith in the Risen Lord. Let's reject all kinds of doubt, fear of being true Christians, despair and loneliness. Are we living behind closed doors out of suspicion, threat or lack of certitude about His Presence in our hearts and personal lives?
Are we renewed by His resurrection? Are we sure that the stone was removed and the tomb is empty, hearing the voice of the angels say, "He is Risen!"?
Jesus Christ is our Peace. He sends us to be His witnesses.
He is Risen indeed, Alleluia!
