“Peace be with you” These are the words we hear from Jesus as he comes to those behind locked doors. Jesus is the one who offers hope, healing, and peace. I don’t know about you but after this week, I know Jesus’ words are true yet I am having a hard time clinging to them tonight. A bombing in the midst of the Boston Marathon, a fertilizer plant explosion in West TX, lock-down in Watertown MA. And that’s only this week…….Sandy Hook, Aurora CO and so much more since this past year as well. And there is so much more….earthquakes, Malaria, and a lot more all over the world.
My heart is aching. I have a hard time watching the news or turning open a newspaper on most days. But this week it is even more difficult. My heart aches…aches for those who have lost loved ones, my heart aches for a freedom that has been lost and violated, my heart aches for all that is happening in the world. And even in the midst of what is happening around the world, there is much happening around here as well. Those aching for a lost friend or family member…those aching for the pain that life brings us..those aching as they find themselves behind locked doors tonight.
Yesterday, in the midst of a crazy week and gathered with beloved friends, I found myself shedding tears…tears that I needed to shed…tears that I didn’t even realize where there until that moment. I am thankful for those friends and that holy space for allowing the tears to just come and not to apologize for them (Thank you for that my friends!) Tears for me are my sighs when the world is happening and I don’t know or can’t find the words to express my thoughts.—With sighs too deep for words!”
The truth is that even as life happens around us, God sends Jesus as the one who brings peace even when we aren’t sure that peace can be brought about. Let us cling to those words that Jesus declared to the disciples behind locked doors and daily proclaims to us, “Peace be with you!” And may we also declare them to each other especially when we are afraid, when we arent sure what to say, and knowing that we are called and claimed children of God.
“Peace be with you….”