Doubting Faith

19 When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." (John 20:19)

After the women returned from Jesus' empty tomb, and proclaimed to the rest of the disciples that he had risen, the disciples were unconvinced. They stayed together behind locked doors in the very real fear that they, too, would be killed. It's into this atmosphere of fear, disappointment, doubt, and shame that Jesus appeared. It's here that Jesus spoke peace.

Much is made of Thomas' doubt, but he's really no different than the other disciples who didn't believe the women. While Jesus told Thomas to stop doubting and believe, Jesus still showed Thomas what he needed to see - the evidence of his suffering. The same Jesus who lived did suffer, did die, did rise. This same Jesus returned to the broken world that had rejected him and spoke peace.

All are invited into the peace of Christ, doubters and believers. Our doubts are not antithetical to our faith. In fact, Jesus longs to show up right in the midst of our locked hearts and minds, our bruised egos and misunderstandings, our fears, doubts and disappointments. Jesus speaks peace to us, and commissions us to go, as broken as we are, and speak peace to the world.

21 Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." 22 When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." (John 20:21-23)