According to the Gospel of John, following the resurrection of Jesus, his closest disciples had locked themselves in a room, evidently afraid that they would meet the same fate as their master. (John 20: 19-29)
But the walls which had kept them safe from outside enemies, real or perceived, was also entrapping them, and stopping them from living in the resurrection truth.
These days, in the midst of COVID-19 pandemic, most of us are well acquainted with walls, and the importance of staying behind them. But those same walls of protection, which keep the virus out, can also, as we know, keep the good away, too.
As we shield ourselves from illness, we also live at a distance from friends and relatives, and all of the life-giving activities which we enjoy in the outside world. The good news is that no wall can keep God out.
When Jesus entered that ancient room, he didn’t knock or undo a latch. He moved right through the wall to meet those disciples right where they were, in the midst of their anxiety, fear and doubt, and met them with a word of peace which the world cannot give.
You may have heard it said, “I found Jesus.” Actually, the reverse is true! It is Jesus who finds us. The risen Christ moves through walls and gifts us with the Easter promise of God’s forgiveness, peace and hope.
