April 25, 2014
The gospel reading for Sunday is about Thomas (a.k.a. Doubting Thomas) and his plea to see the risen Lord for himself before he will believe. It’s the same text the Sunday after Easter every year. The same text. So, you might think, it would be stale by now.
But it isn’t. After all, the gospel never grows old or wears out. Every day there is some new way God is revealed through Jesus. So the word that stands out in John 20.19-31 for me this year is peace - specifically Jesus’ offering, peace be with you. Why, you may wonder? It comes from a conversation I had with a friend this week about a conversation they had had with someone else. I just want to be happy, was the plea from this “third” person.
So as my friend and I were talking, we asked, but what is happiness? We both agreed, after some discussion, that happiness is having peace. The definition of peace, after all, is: freedom from disturbance; quiet and tranquility; mental calm; serenity. Isn’t that beautiful? To be in that state of mind is happiness! Truly.
And so when Jesus offers peace, as he does to the disciples and to us, through his giving of his life, death and resurrection, what joy is ours. No matter where life takes us, we can have peace. Not of our own making, but as a gift from the one who loves us beyond measure. The one whose grace saves us. The only one truly able to give peace.
See - life and faith connecting! Amen, let it be so.
Blessings.
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