Healing Rays of Righteousness

PEACE BE WITH YOU

Suddenly, without invitation and expectation, Jesus appears, and standing among his fear-filled disciples says, “Peace be with you!”  And one week later when Thomas is present with the group, Jesus repeats his sudden appearance and greeting, “Peace be with you!”  (John 20:19-23).

Each time I read this passage, the words “Peace be with you,” seem to leap out of the text and give pause to my rambling thoughts. Three times he speaks these words to the disciples, and I ask myself, “Why does the resurrected Jesus repeatedly say this each time he appears to his disciples?”

Then I remember that long before Jesus’ birth, the prophet, Isaiah, told us that Jesus’ life and ministry would be focused on being the Prince of Peace. “For to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end.”  (Isaiah 9:6-7a).

Then at his birth, the angels shouted their praise with these words, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.” (Luke 2:14). Then during his earthly ministry, Jesus told the woman who anointed his feet with her tears and the woman who was healed of her hemorrhage to “go in peace” (Luke 7:50; 8:48). Also, during the last week before his death, he reminded his disciples of his imminent death and departure, and comforts them by saying, “Peace I leave with you; (John 14:27).

From this brief review and pondering, I conclude that this visit by the resurrected Jesus with his disciples was no superficial, neighborly visit, but rather a significant reminder and reassurance that he will always be with them and empowering them. And his repeated words, “Peace be with you” were much more than asimple familiar greeting. Indeed, he was giving them a very needed and precious gift.

Furthermore, this gift of peace was and is a companion gift with the other God-given gifts of love and joy. These gracious gifts flow from the grand gift of salvation that Jesus won for them and us on the cross of crucifixion, as his final few words declared the gift finished/completed. (John 19:30).

When he showed his disciples the nail prints in his hands and the great wound in his side, as evidence of his love for them, they “were overjoyed.”  And again, Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” (John 20:21).

Jesus’ resurrection, with its certifying, guaranteed hope of life beyond the grave, is wondrous news. But the uncertainties of daily life, with its doubts and difficulties, remain. And when painful reality sets in, we can easily become anxious, fearful, and despairingly conclude that we are alone in the darkness.

 At such times we need to listen and lean into Jesus’ words of comfort that he spoke to his disciples. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27).   

His peace is different because it is always given by him in person. It is the reassurance of his presence that takes away our many doubts and fears and fills life with peace. It was fear that brought the disciples together behind locked doors. Then Jesus enters the room to give them the only thing that can take their fear away, his living presence, and says, “Peace be with you.”

The “good news” is that the calming, powerful living presence of the risen Christ can and does come into our shuttered rooms and dark valleys with his gracious gift of peace, saying, “Peace be with you!”

For that reason, we can believe and declare with the psalmist, “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” (Psalm 23:4). AMEN!

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Ray M. Geigley – “Healing Rays of Righteousness” – www.geigler13.wordpress.com – 5/14/25

“Come and Have Breakfast”

Being overwhelmed with fear and grief, by the events of the past few weeks, since entering Jerusalem for the Passover, the disciples of Jesus are physically, emotionally, and spiritually exhausted. Bewildered and confused, they struggle with feelings of guilt because of their cowardly desertion of Jesus during his arrest, trial, and crucifixion.

Their hopes of a new Kingdom, a new day for the people of God, were shattered. Even though they rejoiced in seeing Jesus resurrected and again alive, they could not comprehend how he could transform what they saw as a lost cause, into a new future of God’s Kingdom on earth.

According to the disciple, John, he and six others were together, back home in their neighborhood by the Sea of Galilee. One evening, Simon Peter said, “I’m going out to fish, … and they said, “We’ll go with you.  So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.” (John 21:3).

The decision to go fishing was a decision that came out of the need to alleviate their feelings of sad defeat and despair. And to go fishing was a return to something they knew, understood, and felt comfortable doing. 

But after fishing all night, which is the best time to catch fish, they are feeling even more defeated. They caught nothing, not even one small fish. They were expert fishermen who knew the lake in every detail and were skilled in catching fish. It had been their vocation, their livelihood, but on this night, they caught nothing, not even one small fish.

It was at this extremely difficult moment in their lives, that Jesus comes and standing on the shore, calls out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?” “No,” they answered. He said, “Throw you net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” (Jn. 21:5-6).

And, wow, a tremendous fishing success follows their obedience to Jesus’ instruction. It was the same lake, the same boat, the same net, and the same crew, but a new obedience turned failure into success so great that “they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.”  An important lesson of encouragement to us in our times of failure.

Even though Jesus had breakfast already prepared for these hungry men, he asks them to contribute to the breakfast from their big catch of fish. And then with gentleness and love, Jesus invites them to “Come and have breakfast.” (Jn. 21:12).

As Jesus graciously and lovingly shares his food with them, they experience his forgiveness. Their fellowship with him is restored and their hearts reassured that he loves them. Moreover, their team unity and love for one another is restored. They again sense that they are working together under the authority of Jesus. And their physical, emotional, and spiritual hungers are nourished and satisfied.

During the early dawn of a new day, Jesus comes to his exhausted disciples with love and forgiveness, and turns their sadness into gladness, their despair into hope, and their mourning into mission.

It is said that we could view this time by the Sea of Galilee as a time of LOVE, even as we view Pentecost as a time of POWER. I can agree with this perspective because we can learn from the biblical scriptures that in God’s expectations and training of Jesus followers to be his witnesses, enabling power is always secondary to compelling love. However, I confess that even though I know that when God’s love fills and possesses us, it becomes the source of our greatest good, our greatest happiness, and our greatest usefulness as God’s witness and evangelist of good news, I still find it easier to pray for power to do things for God, than it is to pray for greater love for God and all others.

More than anything else, we need love! The world needs love! In the early morning seaside breakfast, love is on the menu and infuses Jesus’ every word and act in his effort to restore relationship, while 07love in the relationship between himself and the disciples, as well as between disciple and disciple.

For the same purpose, Jesus comes to each one of us and invites us to “Come and have breakfast.”  Start your day with me and I will feed and nourish your deepest hungers of the day. I will turn your nets of empty dilemmas and concerns into full nets of blessings. With love, I will unite you with my church team in doing my work of love in the world. And I will always love you. “Come and have breakfast.”

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Ray M. Geigley – “Healing Rays of Righteousness” – www.geigler13.wordpress.com – 5/07/25