Peace...

On easter sunday, i sat on our back porch and read the resurrection story over and over again. In 24 years of living, it was probably the first easter sunday that i didnt spend in a church pew. As sad as that realization was, my time on the porch was not too shabby...

John 20: On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.

Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit"

"Peace be with you"... what an awesome way to greet the disciples... I can't imagine what it musta been like in that room with the disciples, scared, sad, angry, heavy hearted, on the verge of tears, feeling like fools for dedicating 3 years of life to a hoax, questioning the reality of everything they saw and lived, wondering whether or not they have a place in Jewish / Roman society after giving themselves wholly to a cause that so blatantly challenged the power and authority of these rulers...
i can imagine a silent dejection floating through the room...
then Jesus walks in. "Peace be with you." and everything changes.

MLK said, "True Peace is not merely the absence of tension, but the presence of justice and brotherhood."

Jesus shows up. He didnt end the difficulties for Jews living under Roman rule, he didnt abolish worldwide oppression, eradicate hunger, or wipe out political corruption, but he embodied justice and brotherhood, and he showed up.

"Peace be with you".
The Power of the resurrected Jesus be with you.
The presence of justice be with you.
The unity of brotherhood be with you.
The abundance of Life be with you.
The goodness of God be with you.
The strength of Truth be with you.
The beauty of woundedness be with you.
"Receive the Holy Spirit".


i havent felt this peace in a long time. everythings seemed like a battle these past couple years. i cant focus my eyes beyond the presence of tension to even begin asking whether the presence of goodness, justice, brotherhood, Truth, and life are a reality in these moments of struggle. i been so caught up in the tension that i foolishly grab for a false sense of absence-of-tension-peace, hoping to find "rest"... but cheap peace will never bring true rest.