Scripture Reflection: Peace be with YOU.

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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

Come with me back to the Holy Land, just after Jesus was crucified...His apostles were holed up in a little room, with doors barred, and they were afraid. Their whole world was turned upside down.  They had watched from the edges as their master, their friend and rabbi, their hope, their everything, was savagely beaten and nailed to a cross. He was stripped of clothes and crowned with thorns. He was bruised and bloody. All but one apostle had fled in fear. These men were afraid of the Jews. They were afraid to suffer as Jesus had suffered. Every second that went by, they were afraid someone was going to discover them, drag them out, and kill them. In addition, they were afraid that everything they had known for the last three years was a lie. They were afraid that Jesus was not really who they thought He was. They thought Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God, their salvation and their King. Now they were not sure.

Then, Jesus came.  The doors were still locked. He just appeared among them. Jesus said, "Peace be with you." And with those four little words, He took on all their fear. He proved He was really and truly risen. He offered His hands and side for their inspection. With His four little words, the apostles knew Him. They knew they could trust Him and all they had believed to be true.

With the breath of Jesus, the Holy Spirit, their courage started to return.

Jesus wants us to have peace...a true and abiding peace that comes from a place free of fear and worldly attachments and demons. He wants us to have that peace so we can focus on Him, follow Him, and be with Him forever in heaven.

He can say, "Peace be with you." But how do we do it? How do we have that peace? It takes faith and trust to open the door to our hearts wide for Him to fill us with His love and mercy and peace. We pray in the quiet..."Jesus, I trust in You," and He comes to us. He takes on our demons. He shines the light that casts out the darkness. He takes on our fears and replaces it with His peace.

Trust Jesus to give you peace on this Divine Mercy Sunday.