From Fear and Guilt to Peace and Joy

In this account of the Resurrection from Luke, we begin in a similar way to last week's Gospel from John: The disciples are gathered together in the Upper Room in Jerusalem. Out of fear they have locked themselves in to keep any enemies out. We can only imagine the fear that they feel, that what happened to Jesus will also happen to them. But we can also only imagine the guilt they must have felt: Each had abandoned Jesus in his time of need. Yet it was precisely into that bad spiritual space that Jesus entered and speaks not words of condemnation but rather, "Peace be with you". And he shows them his hands and his side. This encounter with the living Lord changes their fear and their guilt into joy. May our encounter with the Risen Lord at every Mass do the same!