2nd Sunday of Easter – Jesus: Gift of Peace

“On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’ When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.’ And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained’” (John 20:19-23).
 
This appearance of Jesus to the disciples is marked by his offer of peace. As the disciples hide in fear in a locked room, it is peace that Jesus offers them, not once, but twice. He then offers them the gift of the Holy Spirit, and asks them to be forgivers—people who do not hold grudges or build barriers, but people who are about reconciliation.
 
This greeting of peace is important for the gathered disciples. For the Jews, one of the signs of the coming Messiah was a reign of peace, a time when the lion would lay down with the lamb, and all would live in harmony. Jesus fulfills this expectation by exhibiting in a very tangible way that God’s reign is at hand. This greeting also comes at a time of fear and uncertainty for the disciples. Their leader, who many betrayed before his death, has been executed, and they rightly fear for their own lives. Instead of chastising them, Jesus offers them his peace. He invites them to trust beyond their concerns for security, to experience him in a new and different way, and to offer the same to others through the gift of forgiveness.
 
This offer of peace extends to us today. We are invited to believe in the God who works in new and creative ways, to trust beyond what we might see or feel. We are called to be peacemakers in our relationships by loving as God has loved us and offering forgiveness to those who have offended us. It’s often difficult to do, but throughout time people have discovered that in holding others’ sins bound they actually hold themselves bound. God’s Spirit longs to heal our wounds, yet we can prevent ourselves from experiencing God’s peace when we cling to the offenses that have hurt us. Each day, each hour, the Spirit that was given to the disciples is present in our own lives, offering us the opportunity to give and receive the gift of peace and healing.
 
- How have you experienced the gift of peace through the giving or receiving of forgiveness?
 
Adapted from Word on the Go, a downloadable resource from RENEW International.