Today we hear the first words from the risen Christ for that first Christian community in Jerusalem. That community was in hiding due to fear of being arrested and also the community was in the midst of a crushing sadness and grief due to Jesus’ passion and death. His execution was the death of their relationship with him on a human level, the death of a close friend. In addition, all their hopes in him as their savior died on Good Friday.
For me this passage about the disciples first encounter with the risen Christ has always been so startling. There are several resurrection stories about the risen Christ’s encounter with one or two disciples – at the tomb or on the way to Emmaus – but here we have Christ with the whole group of disciples who stayed in Jerusalem. If I were the risen Christ who had lived through the Passion and the abandonment of the disciples, I would have different words of greeting for them. My words would probably be something like: “Where were you? Why did you abandon me? Why did you betray me? You couldn’t even give me a decent burial! What a bunch of ungrateful, useless disciples”.
That is how that first encounter should have played out based on our own human expectations: Jesus expressing judgment, recrimination, sadness, disappointment.
The presence of the risen Christ in their midst was astonishing to that first community of disciples, and his first words would have been even more astounding. The English translation says they were troubled, startled, terrified while the Spanish translation says bewildered, perplexed, or confused. Christ’s first words were simply: Peace. Don’t be troubled! Don’t doubt!
The resurrected Christ comes to re-establish peace and joy. This is not a haunting. This is not a spirit or a ghost. This is not an experience of some sort of punishment. This is not merely a spiritual experience. They are able to talk with him, touch his wounds, and eat with him. This is a new existence beyond death, an experience of communion, forgiveness and joy. Then he takes time to teach them more about himself based on the scriptures.
The resurrection of Christ is a real, physical experience that transformed the lives of the first communities of faith. The first disciples were filled with profound, enduring joy for having encountered a new reality in their lives. That sense of overpowering joy is the hallmark of a true disciple of Christ.
Peace & joy! No doubts. No troubles. What would our lives be like if we truly let ourselves believe those first words?
Peace be with you…
Why are you troubled?
And why do questions arise in your hearts?
Image: CANVA CJ Dunn 05April2026 AI generated.