Gospel : John 20 : 19 – 31
Year C
It was after the death of Jesus ….
Your death, Lord, what a shock for Your Apostles! However, repeatedly You had announced this terrible trial to them. But they were hardly listening to You; they didn’t like to hear You talking about this …. Also, everything has fallen apart for them! Everything has disappeared with You! The great adventure begun by following You leads to the tomb with Your lifeless body … Your companions now have no option but to go into hiding to avoid a similar end: they had locked the doors, for fear of the Jews!
However a light had shone on that morning, but they had remained in their darkness. They didn’t believe the account of the women returning from the empty tomb ….. How difficult it is to believe in the light when one is in darkness! To believe in joy, when one is in mourning and distress! The doors of the heart are evenl more firmly locked than those of the house!
Jesus came; He stood among them ….
You do not want to leave your friends for too long in their darkness and fear. The locked doors are not an obstacle for Your risen Body, any more than are the doors of hearts for Your love. You are there, with them, like before these terrible days …. You still bear the signs of them however : He showed them His hands and His side …. The scars marked on Your flesh, traces of the wounds of our sin, have become the signs of pardon and of divine life which You wish to spread in us.
Peace be with You!
Peace, “Your peace” … that which You had promised to them during Your last supper …. Perfect happiness, the joy of being a child of God, here is Your resurrection gift! Not the slightest reproach to those who left You alone facing Your suffering and death! And this peace, You want us to bring it to others, to all:
As the Father has sent Me, so I send you!
You repeat it to each of us, as soon as we find You, every first day of the week, at the celebration of the Eucharist
