Fear.
The story of Jesus' appearance to the disciples in the gospel of John is as much about fear as it is about doubt. They have locked themselves in an upper room.
You can smell the fear.
It all fell apart so quickly. A shared meal, a night of prayer in a garden, an arrest, a cross......and the flight of 11 fear soaked disciples (and probably a few women as well).
We are familiar with this place, this fear that overrides all our ability to think logically, to plan. This is a fear that makes it almost impossible to close our eyes until, in exhaustion, our bodies can resist no longer. Not that we are able to rest really.....we just take a little time away from breathing and tasting and imagining. We know this kind of fear.
2000 years later we are still locking ourselves behind doors in fear.
2000 years later peace is still the greatest gift Jesus could possibly give us. A calming of our racing heart. A stillness for our wild imagination. A pause that allows us to think.
Part of the great Easter story is the new peace which is now ours through Jesus. A peace that passes all understanding. A peace that trusts in a crucified Messiah standing right before our eyes.
May that Peace be with you.
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