April 19 Gospel: John 20:19-31

The Gospel passage relates the post-resurrection appearance of Jesus, on the evening of the Day of Resurrection, in the locked upper room where the disciples were gathered, except for Thomas.  Days later, the disciples are gathered again, hiding in the upper room, this time with Thomas present.  Jesus challenges doubting Thomas to believe.  The punch line of the passage is Jesus' statement, "Blessed are they who have not seen and yet believe."

But I don't want to talk about that.  Everybody else will talk about that.  I want to talk about how Jesus announces himself when he appears (though a locked door!):  "Peace be with you."

It reminds me of what my Arabic friends say to me when we greet one another:  "As salaamu al-aikum."  Jesus spoke Aramaic, so he would have said, "Shlomo aleykhum."  Notice the similarity?  Was Jesus just saying, "Hi, y'all" in his colloquial language? Or was he saying something more profound?  Conversely, when we say, "Shalom" or "Salaam," are we simply acknowledging another, or are we blessing that one?

Just as Jesus took simple bread and wine and made something much more of it, I think he was also taking this simple, common greeting and making it sacramental.  Just as the Aramaic "Hi, y'all" has become the passing of the peace in liturgical Christian worship.  It is not meant to be rote and thoughtless.  It should be a deep, meaningful benediction that we offer to one another.

Jesus said, "Peace be unto you."  Ten frightened men, hiding behind a locked door, fearful for their lives.  How on earth were they going to feel anything near peace?  The peace, of course, comes from Jesus Messiah.  After he offers his blessing of peace to a group of men who could not possibly feel any sense of wholeness or security, Jesus then breathes upon them the Holy Spirit.

Why does Jesus breathe the spirit?  The spirit is breath (pneuma in Greek) and wind (ruach in Hebrew). What this says about Jesus is that he is Lord.  Not just a really good fellow.  But God the Divine Self.  The spirit (wind) of God moved upon the chaotic waters at creation.  God breathed life into the nostrils of Adam.  Jesus breathed the Spirit upon the disciples.  By the Spirit we can comprehend and bask in the peace that only God can offer.

Today is not a peaceful day.  There is so much fear and danger because of a virus.  There is so much political turmoil in a country that was already poignantly divided before this crisis arose.  There is no peace - no wholeness, no security - in the world.  But there is peace in God, from God.  This is how we, as Christians, can be counter-cultural - how we can chart a different path than the one we see on the television news or read on Twitter.   We can walk by faith in the peace of God and witness to a frightened world that God reigns.

"Peace be with you," Jesus said.  And he made this peace a reality by bathing us in the Holy Spirit.  Walk, then, as people of peace.