Although the Doors were Shut
- Fr Raphael Ma, CR
- John 20: 19 - 31
A Resurrectionist Vocation Minute for April 27, 2nd Sunday of Easter
Although the Doors were Shut
We are now in the season of Easter, which is really one of rediscovering hope – especially relevant for us as we continue in this Jubilee Year with its central message of hope, and being renewed in our hope.
Sometimes we can feel like we are in a prison of our own making – whatever the reasons may be, we may feel distant from God, or that we have closed off part of – or even all of – our life or our heart to God.
But today’s Gospel should fill us with hope that we are never beyond God’s reach.
“…and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked…
…Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.”
“…Although the doors were shut,
Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.”
Twice in the same Gospel reading, we hear that the disciples of Jesus had shut the doors, and yet Jesus still came to them, and stood among them, and said “Peace be with you.”
There are all kinds of reasons why we may have shut or locked part of our hearts to God. And it may not even be intentional. Perhaps we are afraid, but at the same time also want to be more open, but we do not know how. But the good news is that today’s Gospel tells us it’s not an obstacle for Jesus. He can still come to us, stand among us, and say to us this day: “Peace be with you.”
“In order to rise with Christ, we need to be open to the inspirations of the Holy Spirit who sanctifies us and conforms us to Christ. We will thus begin to share in the new creation, the life of the Risen Savior. Just as Christ’s primary concerns were to be completely dedicated to performing the will of His Father and loving service to His brothers and sisters, so also will these be the animating principles of our consecrated life.”