Peace Be With You

The story of Thomas is not about doubt, but peace.

You probably already know this, but there is typically no tranquility in the household of an infant. Peace, as in peace and quiet, is a rare commodity to be sure. Morning, noon, and night Teddy likes to make noise.

Whether it is an early morning monologue when he practices talking. Play time when he turns his toy container into a drum. Or, in the middle of the night when he has recently been having nightmares. Teddy likes to make noise. In speaking with Emily and Sally, I think Gunnar who will be baptized today is the same way.

Certainly children make a lot of noise. However, they do not extinguish the peace that fills today’s Gospel lesson. No, what disturbs that peace is something much more devious.

Fear disturbs peace. Those disciples on Easter evening were afraid. They were fearful of the Roman Empire. They dreaded powerful and corrupt religious leaders. They were scared that they would suffer the same death that Jesus did. So, they barred the doors. They buried themselves behind locks. They hid in secrecy. They worried behind walls.

Jesus, though came and stood among them, like there were no doors, no locks, and no walls. His first words to the disciples post-resurrection were, “Peace be with you.” Not only that but that phrase became the refrain throughout these Sunday evening encounters. Did you hear Jesus repeat it throughout this story?

Peace emanated from the post-resurrection Jesus. He greeted the disciples with peace. He charged them to go out with peace. He even spoke to Thomas from a place of peace. Peace was all over the place!

This type of peace was not like quiet that we all may crave from time to time when things are busy or loud. No, this peace is that peace we yearn for deep within our souls. This peace, we say, passes all understanding.

On this day when we welcome a new member into the Body of Christ through Baptism, we would do well to hear Jesus’ peaceful bidding. For living in peace, spreading peace, and being peaceful are all parts of the work we are given to do as Christ’s Body in this world. These are all parts of life in Christ. We are called to bear that peace, which passes all understanding into a world that is so often afraid, reactive, and violent. If we take a closer look at these encounters between Jesus and his disciples—and if we look at them as a model for post-resurrection discipleship, I believe we will have a good vision of how we too might follow Jesus in the Easter light.

There is a lot in our world to be scared of today. We hear of school shootings, we read of plane crashes, and we know of terrible storms rolling through our own neighborhoods. So much on the news elicits fear from us. We may now live in crippling dread of the next violent act, the next accident, or the next natural disaster. Fear is all around us. We can believe the best course of action is to lock ourselves away. Just like the disciples did, we can close ourselves off from the rest of the world because it might hurt us. To be honest, this is a very prudent and responsible path, but even there Christ will come find us.

When we close ourselves off, Christ will break through our walls and speak to us saying, “Peace be with you.” Long ago, Jesus did not simply let the disciples sit back behind closed doors. No, he sent them, just as the father had sent him. He sent them with peace. He sent them with the Holy Spirit. He knew that staying behind closed doors may have been easier, but it was not what Jesus wanted from them. He wanted them to go in peace to spread his Good News. Good news that Resurrection overcomes death, peace overcomes fear, and love overcomes all. We too are called to go in peace.

Many weeks our clergy call us to go in peace to love and serve the Lord who is out in the world. We are called to go out not to be reckless, but courageous. The only way to be courageous is to do something that is scary at first. This is how fear is defeated. Christ always goes with us, like he went with the disciples.

But first, the Risen Christ showed the disciples his wounds. Before he sent them he showed them, but why? He was not trying to be gory. Instead, he was aiming to help them see that God guides us even through the tough times.

Even though his body had been broken, God guided him onward. Jesus knew that peace which passes all understanding even during the darkest moments of his life—those moments, which created those scars. God calls us to trust in that everlasting peace even when we confront our darkest times.

All of us in baptism are called to be part of the priesthood of all believers. We are all called to follow Jesus. We may not be called to die for Jesus, but we are all certainly called to live for him.

We will inevitably face difficult times though, when peace seems far away. Not only outside of ourselves, but within ourselves too. As believers it is natural to be curious, it is natural even to doubt. Thomas is our patron saint of questioning. And, we again heard a bit of his story this morning.

Like Thomas, we are all called to refine our faith through wondering. Often we have used Thomas as a punching bag to push aside or a straw man to knock over, but he wanted what all the others had received. He yearned to see the Risen Christ, to put his hands in the marks of the nails, to see those wounds, to be in the presence of Jesus once again. How did Christ Jesus respond?

Jesus again stood among the disciples and said, “Peace be with you.” Again Jesus brought peace. Even when Thomas had doubts, Jesus greeted him with peace. When we have doubts or questions, Jesus will walk among us with peace. He will come show us the wounds if we need to see them. Not to be gross—but so that we can see that wounds do not define us. They may affect us, but they are not all of who we are. Instead, it is the peace of God, which passes understanding that characterizes us as Jesus’ followers.

Soon we will welcome a new member into the Body of Christ. As we do, we hear Jesus calling us all into the life of peace, which passes all understanding. Christ greets us with peace. Christ finds us with peace even when we are afraid. Christ reassures us with peace as we have questions. Christ calls to live through peace even as we experience deep wounds. Peace—this is the way of Christ.

As Gunnar becomes a member in the Body of Christ, we are called to surround him with God’s peace. He may one day be scared. He may have questions that are too tough for us to answer. He may be hurt one day in ways that are too challenging for us to heal. In those times, may we have the grace to share the peace of Christ with him.

May we bear peace just as Jesus brought peace. Even when we are afraid. Even when we do not understand. Even when we are hurt. May we bring peace just as Jesus brought peace. May the peace of Christ, which passes all understanding be with us and guide us all forever more. Amen.