In the name of God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen!
During the course of this week, I came across a quote by one of the American revolutionaries, Malcom X, which said: You cannot separate peace from freedom, because no one can be at peace unless he has his freedom.[1] In other words, we cannot receive peace without freedom. And I believe this could be the case with the gospel passage this morning.
The first scene presented in the gospel passage for today takes place in the evening of the day of the resurrection. Mary Magdalene had an encounter with the risen Christ in the morning of that same day, ran and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord. Despite their having heard Mary’s message about the risen Lord, the disciples still locked themselves in a room in fear of the Jewish authorities. They feared that they might be subjected to hatred, insult and death. As we know, this was the result for many of them, and that was followed by a long period of the persecution of the church (which is a story for another day). For the sake of the passage this morning, I want to focus on the fact that they are locked in a room because they are scared.
Jesus comes into this situation proclaiming his peace. However, doubt is still possible among them. Is this the same man they have witnessed the persecution and death of a few days ago? Is this real? We are told that Jesus showed them the wounds from his hands and side and, when they saw the wounds, they recognised him and were filled with joy. (I do not know, but I think I will freak out even more, because that sounds very spooky.) Maybe it is his speech that made them to be at ease. His greeting brings peace in the midst of their confusion and uncertainty.
For the disciples to absorb the peace that Jesus is giving them, they needed to be freed from their anxiety and freed from having resentments or holding on to grievances. Jesus tells them those whose sins they forgive shall be forgiven. Thus, I believe he was indirectly telling them that they should free themselves from holding grudges about what had just happened and strive for peace. They are not only to be at peace and rejoice, at the presence of the Lord, in the midst of their fear; but they are to be bearers of the good news of the resurrection to the world. “As the Father has sent me, so I send you”[2], Jesus tells them.
To quote the psalmist and St Benedict, maybe Jesus was also telling them to “seek peace and pursue it”, especially in the midst of their turmoil. Thus, Malcom X’s statement comes into play, that we cannot separate peace from freedom, because we cannot be at peace unless we are free. So, what do you need to be freed from?
I believe that the disciples were certainly freed from their anxiety. Whether this was from Jesus’ breathing the Holy Spirit on them, his speech or just his presence in that room, I do not know. But I am certain of their freedom, because it is made evident in the book of the Acts of the Apostles. The encounter in that room gave them some courage. For instance, in the second reading this morning, we hear how some of them, including Peter, stood up boldly to the Sanhedrin (the Jewish council at the time). When I learned of Peter’s courage, I started to think to myself: Is this the same man who does not seem to get things right throughout the gospel accounts? Is this the man who denied Jesus at the moment of the via dolorosa? Was he not among those who were in the locked room when Jesus appeared and showed them his wounds? Suddenly, he is bold and defends his faith. So, some kind of mystery or miracle must have freed them from their anxiety and fear of the Jewish authorities of the time. Jesus somehow empowered them. And he gave them that empowerment without even pointing out their faults. He did not blame or accuse them of flying away at the point of his death. He was only concerned about their peace and freedom from anxiety.
I can just imagine their joy. Perhaps the psalm read this morning captures well what they might have felt.
The Good News edition puts it this way:
The Lord makes me powerful and strong.
(The Lord’s) power has brought us victory…
I will not die; instead, I will live and proclaim what the Lord has done.
Give us success, O Lord![3]
I picture the disciples using these words. Jesus’ breathing empowered them to be to the world what he has been. The Spirit is with them, in them, and will remain with them forever, but they must reach beyond their borders to continue the mission of Jesus, so that the world might know and believe that Jesus is truly the Sent One of the Father.
If we also have encountered the risen Christ, then we are called to extend the grace we received to others, without necessarily pointing out their faults. We are to free others from whatever may be binding/entangling them. But to do that, we must first be freed ourselves. We cannot proclaim peace if we are not at peace. Amen!
[1] See https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/8186694-you-cannot-separate-peace-and-freedom-because-noone-can-be
[2] John 20: 21b
[3] Psalm 118:14-29 (GNT)