V 21. Again he said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.”
These disciples faced all kinds of uncertainty. They had seen their leader crucified and buried. His resurrection seemed almost too good to be believed, after all it was just a woman’s tale! At the back of their minds must have been the possibility that they too might be rounded up, put on trial and perhaps crucified. Then suddenly, Jesus was there with them, telling them to go out and tell people.
No wonder the first thing Jesus has to say is ‘Peace be with you’ and then repeat it to make sure they got the message. Peace was the thing they needed most, along with courage to do as Jesus was going to tell them.
Once we get the message that Jesus wants us to share His Mission to the world, we can be assured that He will give us His peace as we do so. Sure, your throats may get a trifle dry and your voice a bit croaky as you grasp opportunities to speak, but appreciate too that God’s peace will be your experience as you speak up about your allegiance to Jesus, and the reason why.
The call to share in God’s Mission to the world is always accompanied by His peace as we do so.