Grace and Love Break Open our Fear…

We could tell something was happening; a storm was on its way. Nico, one of our dogs became agitated and anxious. He started shaking a bit and pacing around, running from room to room. We checked the radar and sure enough, a storm was coming over the mountains but still a way off. As it came closer Nico became more agitated, barking and crying, running, and shaking. A peel of thunder, still far off but loud enough to startle us, ang out and Nico ran out. He ran outside to the car port and to the front gate. This is his ‘hiding’ place. It doesn’t make sense. It is out in the open, under cover, but open. Perhaps he confuses hearing a sound when in the house, to that danger or threat being in the house? I went out and got him, just as a louder, closer peel of thunder rang out in the sky, following the lightning strikes. Nico ran inside with me and jumped on Susan’s lap, causing havoc. Eventually we sat him down and held him, providing comfort and reassurance and the storm passed over. Nico isn’t the bravest dog going around. He has places that are safe, and he retreats to – the side gate, the gate on the other side of the house (completely open!), under my desk, between the piano stool and the piano… He will hide when threatened or, on a walk, try to run away from the threat. In desperation he will bark and growl and try to scare the perceived danger away. In this sense, Nico is like most of us when confronted by something that threatens us or cause fear, pain, confusion, anxiety… We try to hide from such a threat or escape in some way. I find myself retreating and hiding away when I feel myself under deep stress or fear. When I receive news that is challenging and confronting, that causes pain or threatens me or someone I know, I want to retreat, avoid, escape. Sometimes I can and that is exactly what is needed. Other times I have no choice but to face the challenge or threat, even though everything in me wants to run away. When I’m in the midst of a difficult time or dealing with confronting, sad or horrible news, whether close to me or in the news feed of the day and across the world, I often want to hide from it. I can only deal with so much and feel overwhelmed or helpless and in my confusion, I try to escape it. This is how most of us operate. There are points in all of our lives when life is just too much, when we can’t deal with the threat or challenge, when our energy and courage wanes and we feel fear and overwhelming desperation. This is the fight, flight or freeze response, a physiological and psychological response to threat and danger, to fear. This response is central to the Easter story! All the narratives around Easter involve some form of fear, confusion, hiding, or escape as the followers of Jesus deal with the enormity of their grief and loss. It isn’t only the loss of this friend, whose love and authority have given them new life and direction. It is the loss of everything they have given up in following Jesus. What now? What do they do? Will those who killed Jesus come after them? Are they guilty by association? Will they seek to take the whole movement down, rather than just the leader? In John’s continuing story of Jesus (John 20:19-31), the disciples and followers of Jesus are hiding away behind locked doors and solid walls. They are afraid. Even despite Mary’s witness to encountering the Risen Christ in the garden that morning, their fear, confusion, and grief are overwhelming, and they hide from the dangers and threats. How long will they hide? How long is grief? What next? They are locked away from the world in the evening when this Risen Christ materialises in their midst! He says: ‘Peace be with you,’ and shows them his hands and side – his wounds. Again, saying, ‘Peace be with you.’ He breathed on them and said: ‘Receive a Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.’ This story is John’s holding together of the revealing of the Risen Christ, the receiving of the Spirit and the commissioning of the disciples to continue the work of God’s mission of reconciliation and healing in the world! Thomas wasn’t there and won’t believe until he, too, experiences this Risen Christ and recognises him through his woundedness. A week later, they are all still hiding away behind locked doors, still fearful and confused, despite this experience! Jesus again materialises in their midst and shows his wounds to Thomas who recognises the crucified, now Risen Christ. It is in the brokenness that Jesus is recognised, and it will be in their vulnerable brokenness that the disciples will be recognised as witnesses to the power of God’s love Reflection Notes – 27/4/25 2 nd Sunday of Easter breaking into human life. It is in our helplessness and powerlessness that we are broken open to receive the grace and love that will hold and sustain us and be a witness to the grace and love that, alone, can heal the world and bring hope and life! This story resonates deeply with me and my experience. As I try to hide from life, from pain, from suffering, from fear and threats and… As I try to retreat and escape, a prayer of desperation escapes my lips, or bubbles up from my inner being, a prayer of the deepest yearning for help. As I create the ‘room’ with its solid walls and locked doors to keep the world at bay, the Risen Christ gently enters and says: ‘Peace be with you!’ I am offered peace in the midst of fear and pain. The Risen Christ breathes the Spirit of God, the Spirit of life onto me and invites me into faith and hope – and the way of love! I am invited to share int eh mission of healing and reconciliation in the world, God’s Mission of peace, justice, reconciliation, and love. It is in my lowest moments, my most desperate and fearful moments, in the darkness of night, that the Risen Christ breaks into my life and breathes peace and Spirit and life. It doesn’t change the circumstances around me. The storms still rage; the threats still threaten; the pain is still real, but I am held in love and know that all will be well. Somehow, some way, in life or death, all will be well. I don’t understand, I can’t define or control, only trust. At that moment I can breathe again, and I know I am not alone and whatever may happen, nothing can separate me from God’s love in Christ. From death to life, we grow/ Through grief and pain to breathe again. Through locked doors and solid walls/ the Risen Christ breathes life and then/ Says: Peace be with you, my friends/ From death to life we grow.