Peace be with you (John 20:19-23)

As we enter the story of our passage today, it is interesting that as the Risen Christ stands in the midst of the disciples as they have locked themselves away, he greets them twice with the same greeting: “Peace be with you”. Why does Jesus greet them with a double greeting of peace?

A closer look suggests that Jesus' greeting of peace comes in response to two emotions from the disciples: 

Firstly, in verse 19, the first emotion expressed by the disciples is fear. It is fear that has caused them to run and hide. It is fear that has caused them to shut themselves away from the world. They are gripped with the fear that what has happened to Jesus may happen to them as well.

In the midst of their fear, Jesus greets them with the words: “Peace be with you!”
Into the midst of our fears, the Risen Christ speaks words of peace.

Secondly, in verse 20, Jesus greets them again with the same words: “Peace be with you!” The second time Jesus greets the disciples with peace, the disciples are not expressing fear, rather in verse 20 the disciples are described as being “over-joyed”. Perhaps the clue in this verse is that the disciples are described as being 'over-joyed'. Their excitement in seeing Christ is over-whelming.

In this passage, between these two extreme emotions of fear on the one-hand, and excitement on the other, the Risen Christ offers an alternative, to discover a deep and abiding peace that is not determined by our external circumstances. The apostle Paul refers to it as a “Peace that passes understanding”.  The Risen Christ invites us to enter the deep waters of the peace and tranquility of God's life and love.

How do we enter God's heart of peace? The rich symbolism of our Gospel story provides some clues:

1. Firstly, there is a peace that comes to us through service. There is a peace and fulfillment that comes to us through living our lives not just for ourselves, but being able to extend ourselves in love towards others.
In our passage in verse 21: Christ says to the disciples: “As the Father sent me, so I am sending you”.
How did Christ come to us?  As one who serves.

2. Secondly, we live in this place of peace as we allow Christ to breathe into us.
In verse 22 we read: “And with that he breathed on them.” This is a wonderful image of prayer. You only share someone's breathe when you are close or intimate with them. This verse is an invitation to draw close to Christ in prayer that he might breathe into us. Finding a place and a time to simply sit in silence in the presence of God is an opportunity to allow God to breathe his breathe of peace into us.

3. Thirdly, peace can come to us through the practice of forgiveness.
In verse 23 “If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”  A better translation from the Greek would seem to be 'to let go' rather than our English word forgiveness.  The verse takes on a new shade of meaning when it reads: "If you let go of anyone's sin's they are let go of. If you do not let go, you are still holding onto them."

Often we speak of forgiveness as though it is for the sake of the person who has wronged us. But the truth is a large part of forgiveness is for our own sake. Letting go of anger and resentment is good for the one who is able to let go. Holding onto our burning anger and our desire for revenge has been described by some as holding onto a burning coal. In the end, by holding onto our burning anger and resentment, we end up harming ourselves far more than the one we are angry with.

Forgiveness or letting go does not necessarily mean forgetting what has happened, or pretending that it didn't happen, or that we are not deeply wounded by what has happened.  Isn't it interesting that as the Risen Christ greets the disciples, he shows them his wounds, his hands and his side. The Risen Christ carries the wounds of crucifixion in his body, they are not forgotten. But they are transcended. He is no longer living a prisoner of what has happened to him.

Letting go is not something we can turn on and off at will like switching a light switch.  Often it is a long and difficult journey  that requires us to hold our pain with care and compassion like a mother caring for her crying baby. But there is a peace that comes to us when we no longer need to hold onto the sins of others, but are ready to let go and live a new life into the future.

Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”
Peace through service – As the Father sent me so I am sending you.
Peace through silence and stillness – and with that he breathed upon them.
Peace through letting go - "If you let go of anyone's sin's they are let go of. If you do not let go, you are still holding onto them."