“…Jesus came among them and said,
“Peace be with you.”

-John 20:19b
So many comparisons can be made between the disciples of the first Easter and our time today. Both “sheltering in place”—they because of fear of the Jews, we because of the Corona virus. Both separated from their communities—they behind locked doors, we in our homes or apartments. Both frightened—they because they were known as Jesus’ disciples, we because of many things, mainly that we do not catch the virus. Both hiding, sheltering behind doors, both experiencing fears.

Through both their and our physical or emotional doors of protection, the Easter Jesus comes with the calming message, “Peace be with you.”  What is he saying and what is he offering? To the disciples he was not offering that their fellow Jews would stop hating them, they continued to be persecuted because of their faith in Jesus, legend telling us all but one dying a martyrs’ death. To us he is not offering the immediate ending of the sheltering in place phenomenon or that the Corona virus will suddenly go way.

What Jesus is offering when he says, “Peace be with you,” is he is going to sit with us behind the doors of our fears and be with us come what may! He extends himself to us to give us something substantial to hang on to, something solid on which to lean. As we would extend ourselves to others to help them up steps or across dangerous places, Jesus extends himself to us to pull us through our fears to the healing calm he offers. He connects with us where we are, and then gently but firmly carries us forward.
“Peace be with you”, what beautiful words, what a comforting presence.

Prayer: Lord fill my heart with your presence and your peace, today and always. Amen

Pastor Jerry Tews