Scripture Reflection – Second Sunday of Easter (22nd and 23rd of April)

In the shorter form of this Sunday’s Gospel from St John, Jesus greets and wishes the fearful disciples “Peace!” not once, but twice. This greeting of peace is not the peace of keeping things “steady,” nor, “not rocking the boat” nor is “things will be OK.” Jesus greeting is associated with his salvific death and resurrection – he shows them his hands and his side as evidence, not merely to identify himself but to have the disciples identify with his salvific act. It is in the context of this that we gain peace – a peace that the world cannot give.

The word shalom in Hebrew conveys the greeting of ‘wholeness’ which is a gift from God. This gift, like all the gifts given to us from God must be nurtured and valued and appreciated. It requires that we too must ‘die’ to those elements in our lives that rob us of that realisation of wholeness. Each of us is caught up in the salvific action of Jesus every day of our lives. We too are called to let go of what diminishes our sensitivity to the gift of wholeness that God has given us.

We are called to ‘rise’ to a richer and more expansive humanity for the greater glory of God and his Kingdom. In this way, we will be messengers of peace to others offering them what is distinctly Christian and specifically life giving. Each person we encounter peacefully is a further step in living out our Christian vocation.