Through the Locked Door

"On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, 'Peace be with you.' When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, 'Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.' " - John 20:19-21

Every night, before I go to bed, I go around the house and make sure the doors are locked. I know that the idea is locking the doors will keep the basic criminals out. The ones that go door to door, checking doors until they find one that's open. Truth be told, I've never seen this particular break-in approach happen, but at least I've done everything in my power to keep someone from waltzing into my home in the middle of the night (they wouldn't dare to jitterbug). I also know that, should a criminal truly want to get into my house, there's plenty of ways to do it - maybe by driving a car through the front door, high-tech James bond-like lock picking tools, or by helicopter-drop onto the roof (I know I'm reaching here).

Even though this happened about 2000 years ago, the intruders during the disciples times were equally diverse. Those that wanted to get in would find a way in - smashing down a door, crawling in a window, or tricking someone inside to open the door. And so John's reference to "locking the door" was less about their safety from the crowds of Jews wishing to find and eliminate the followers of Jesus (though that was a real threat at the time), but rather to enforce that there was no practical way into the room.

And despite their defenses, one man appears in the room with them. Their friend. Their teacher. Their Messiah. Jesus didn't bust the door down, he didn't crawl in through a window. He just appeared. To them. In the same state some of them last saw him in - pierced through the hands, feet and side. And instead of asking why they weren't there, why they didn't try to help, why they didn't even acknowledge they even knew him - he instead greets them with one simple phrase.

"Peace be with you".

As in, don't be scared, don't be upset, and don't think I'm mad at you. Just simply a phrase to set them at ease.

"Peace be with you".

As in, "It's all going to be OK. I'm here with you. I'll be with you forever. And despite it all, I still love you."