John 20:19
Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
The only way to right standing with God is through the salvation of Jesus. In Him is peace with the Father. In Jesus God sees His righteousness and not ours. All people and all nations will face judgement. Those who are covered in the blood of the Lamb will be saved and will only face the rewards of the good deeds done while they were alive. Others will be judged for all the good or the evil they committed. We are welcomed in the name of Jesus to the supper of the Lamb slain for the world. Blessed are those who without seeing…believe! Carla
Mark 16:14
Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen. NKJV
After Judas’ demise (Matthew 27:3–5; Acts 1:16–18), the disciples were known for a while as the eleven. Jesus upbraided these disciples for not believing the accounts of eyewitnesses, but He pronounced a blessing on “those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29). The NKJV Study Bible
This passage, which has been designated the longer ending of Mark, summarizes the risen Jesus’ dealings with His disciples as narrated in the other canonical Gospels. Based on manuscript evidence, it probably is a later addition intended to harmonize Mark’s account with those of Matthew, Luke, and John. Some manuscripts include a so-called shorter ending—several sentences typically placed immediately before verses 9–20. It, too, is thought to have been added later. Faithlife Study Bible
Luke 24:36–43
Now as they said these things, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and said to them, “Peace to you.” But they were terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen a spirit…
1 Corinthians 15:5
and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve.
Mark 16:11–13
And when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe.After that, He appeared in another form to two of them as they walked and went into the country…
John 20:25–26
The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.”So he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!”
So. Here’s the deal; This little light of mine… that light still shines.
What does it mean to let that light shine in today’s world?
In Fr. Greg Boyle’s Barking to the Choir (about his work with Homeboy Industries, gang intervention, rehab and reentry), he replays a conversation with Jermaine (after 20 years in prison, which in my mind, qualifies as a boatload of sediment).
Fr. Greg wonders aloud how Jermaine stays so upbeat.
Jermaine tells Fr. Greg, “I’ve decided to be loving and kind in the world. Now… just hopin’… the world will return the favor.”
Which is another way of saying, Jermaine can still see the light. Thank you, Jermaine.
Fr. Greg calls these conversations “salvific stories.” As you spend your days, well, you live your life.
In all of us, there is a tussle between weakening of hope, and the hunger in our own soul for hope (a hunger David Whyte describes as “that small, bright and indescribable wedge of freedom” in our heart).
Today, I can live with that. And today, I can make choices from that place. Choices to cherish life—and dignity and integrity and honesty and human connection—and not to demean it.
There is a story about a kind, quiet man who prays in the Ganges River every morning. One day after praying, he sees a poisonous spider struggling in the water and cups his hands to carry it ashore. As he places the spider on the ground, it stings him. Unknowingly, his prayers for the world dilute the poison.
The next day the same thing happens. On the third day, the kind man is knee deep in the river, and, sure enough, there is the spider, legs frantic in the water.
As the man lifts the creature yet again, the spider asks, "Why do you keep lifting me? Can't you see I will sting you every time, because that is what I do?"
And the kind man cups his hands about the spider, lifts the spider and replies, "Because that is what I do."
A man dies and stands at the pearly gates. St. Peter asks, “Tell me, where are your scars?”
The man replies, “I don’t have any.”
St. Peter, “That’s too bad, was there nothing on earth worth fighting for?”
Yes. So, today, if someone asks you what you “do,” tell them, “I do my best to lift others up.”
So. What will I choose to care for—to be loving and kind in today’s world? What will I choose to say matters?
In what ways can I say No to apathy and indifference and resignation.
To say No to anything that demeans or belittles another child of God?
In what ways can I say Yes to, “I do my best to lift others up.”
And let’s be very clear. The spider story is not about returning to “toxic” relationships and ignoring personal well-being. It is about honoring what really does make a difference, especially for people who are vulnerable or struggling. With everything that's going on in the world, now is the time to help make a kinder society that improves the mental health of all.
As Martin Luther King Jr. reminds us, “Never, never be afraid to do what's right, especially if the well-being of a person or animal is at stake. Society's punishments are small compared to the wounds we inflict on our soul when we look the other way.”
(And if you need an inducement… it wouldn’t hurt to remind ourselves that when we are kind and compassionate, there are clear benefits to our own well-being and happiness—yes, reducing stress. We may even live longer. Who knew?)
Okay, I will admit. There have been times when "kind" people worry me. You know, those with “that smile” glued to their face. As if there's an agenda, and I didn't get the memo. Or they need to prove a point to work off some kind of cosmic debt.
However. I've met many truly kind people. My grandmother, for one. Sometimes I'm certain that her kindness saved me.
I realize that my confession is that I don't come close to that kind of kindness. At least that's what I tell myself. I've been selfish and have squandered too many opportunities. So, the stories of the sage and the spider and Mr. Rogers seem a stretch. But I do get the point... Spiders sting. Wolves howl. And—the good news—human beings lift each other up, no matter the consequence, even when other beings sting. Sabbath Moments
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