“Unlocking the Doors”

Homily delivered by the Rev. Rhonda J. Rubinson
Sunday, April 19, 2020 at 10:00AM

via zoom

Texts: John 20:19-31, Psalm 16

In the name of God:  Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  Amen.

When I first read the gospel for this week in preparation for this homily, I was startled.

None of us could have ever imagined that in Eastertide in the year 2020, we would find ourselves in a situation very much like that of Jesus’ disciples shortly after Jesus’ death: locked inside the house. Back then, the disciples were locked inside a house for good reason: they feared for their lives. And we too, find ourselves locked inside our homes now for the same reason: we, too, fear for our lives.

John’s gospel is very concerned that we understand the lengths to which the disciples went in order to protect themselves from what is called “the Jews,” but which were really the Romans – even though Jewish authorities had complained about Jesus to Rome, it was only the Romans who could crucify Jesus, not the Jews. The disciples were understandably afraid that similar accusations would be brought against them as Jesus’ accomplices, so in response to that very real danger, they became fearful and barricaded themselves inside a house hoping that they could block anyone from entering.

But it didn’t work out that way.

Listen to the gospel:

When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you."

Despite the locked doors and who knows what else – maybe they piled up chairs and tables against those locked doors – despite all of their best efforts, Jesus still manages to get inside. How?

I must confess that whenever I read this gospel I have a flashback to a strange image: I’m reminded of the title character in a very old, very bad movie – Dracula, who managed to enter people’s houses either by turning into a bat and flying through an open window, or, if the windows were shut, he had the creepy ability to turn into a mist and kind of seep in under the door. Once inside, he would revert to himself again, in full vampire, Bela Lugosi, form.

The risen Jesus doesn’t need to pull off those kind of silly, shape-shifting tricks. As the Son of God, Jesus put on our humanity and took on a mortal body that died as he was crucified. But once he was resurrected on Easter Sunday, time and space could no longer hold him. Although his body still bore the marks of the Passion, he had no boundaries – wherever he wished to go he could go, traveling faster than the speed of light: Jesus could move at the speed of thought, at the speed of prayer, that is to say, he could travel instantly.

The disciples were, in a sense, fortunate. Confused, distressed and frightened after the horrible events of the previous week, they refused to believe Mary Magdalene, who had told them that she could not find Jesus in the tomb when she went there after the Sabbath to anoint him (this is according to John’s gospel). Peter and John even went running to the tomb to check for themselves, and they indeed found it empty except for linens, yet they still would not believe Mary. Then two angels and Jesus himself appeared to that same Mary, who does not recognize Jesus, supposing that he was the gardener until he calls her by name. Completely convinced that Jesus was alive, Mary Magdalene again told the disciples, yet they still refuse to believe what Jesus himself had prophesied about being raised three days after his body was destroyed, despite the evidence that his prophecy had indeed come to pass.

So having run away from Jesus as he suffered and died on the cross, the disciples continued their estrangement from their rabbi, their friend, the man who was their Lord, as they sank deeper and deeper into fear, further and further away from faith.

The disciples essentially behave as moody teenagers do, locking themselves in their rooms when they are upset and disturbed and when they don’t want to face either reality or the consequences of what they have done.

Notice what the gospel does NOT say: it does not say that the disciples were fasting or praying while locked in the house – as they are later said to be doing in Jerusalem right before Pentecost comes – it only says that they are afraid.

Yet Jesus enters anyway, into this locked house filled with grief and fear. And he greets the disciples by addressing their fear directly: he says, “Peace be with you.”

The effect is immediate, the gathering is transformed.

As Jesus displays the wounds on his hands and his side, they are finally convinced that he is alive. Then Jesus greets them again, the same way – “Peace be with you,” but then he adds something else: a commission.

The gospel continues with Jesus saying, “As the Father has sent me, so I send you." When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."

There is a detail that is missing from the Gospel, although I think it is implied. At this point, knowing that Jesus is alive, filled with joy and the power of the Spirit, and having been told that they now had a ministry, an extension of Jesus’ own ministry, I wonder: Did they unlock the doors? Were they now confident enough to admit that although real danger was still lurking, they no longer had to try so hard to protect themselves? The hint to the answer to this question comes shortly, but first there is an interlude when Thomas demands the same proof that his fellow disciples got from Jesus before he would believe – and by the way, if anyone is tempted to look down on Thomas for demanding his own proof, take a look at what the other ten did, in actions if not in so many words: they all demanded proof, without exception. All of the disciples were just like Thomas.

After this episode, the gospel continues the previous narrative a week later, saying that the disciples were again in the same house, but this time the door is shut – not locked. There’s a big difference there, anyone can merely open a shut door and enter if it is not locked – and most important, now there is no mention of fear at all.

Once the disciples were convinced within themselves that Jesus is alive and having received his power, the world outside might still be a dangerous place, but their former, paralyzing fear is gone. After all, if Jesus conquered death and was still alive, why would they fear?

And if Jesus is still alive today, why would we fear?

The world is still a dangerous place, and we are all called upon to take reasonable precautions by staying inside and shutting the door, as the disciples did. But what was true for the first disciples is true for us, too: Jesus did indeed conquer death, and his power is with us in exactly the way as it was with them. We too are given that same commission as they were, to forgive sins – which means that we are given the power to heal; remember Jesus healed people by saying “your sins are forgiven.” Healing, by the way, has never been just for priests. We see it these days in our doctors and nurses and health care professionals whose ministry and vocation is healing, but it is for every one of us too. We can forgive people and help them to wholeness in countless ways – heal them – and Jesus is counting on us to do just that.

Also just like the disciples, we often confuse what is happening in the world around us for the way Jesus works on the world inside of us, in our souls and in our spirits. There is indeed a serious pandemic, and many of us have lost loved ones or are struggling with the virus or are close to others who are fighting to recover. But the spirit world and the physical world are not the same, and we make ourselves sick in every way if we take in the terror that is all around us and mistake it for the whole picture.

Over the past month I have spoken to many in our parish family who are terrified of what might happen to themselves or loved ones, even if everyone is right now healthy and fine. If we are so afraid, that, like the disciples, we lock ourselves away, hoping to protect ourselves, remember that Jesus can still enter in and say, “Peace be with you.” Don’t make the mistake of trying to lock everything, including Jesus, out – instead invite Jesus into every part of your life, but particularly into your soul, where Jesus can always give you peace.

I love today’s psalm, Psalm 16, because it perfectly describes what our loving God has given to all of us, without exception. Please close your eyes imagine that these words describe the universe that is inside of you:

My boundaries enclose a pleasant land; *
indeed, I have a goodly heritage.

I will bless the LORD who gives me counsel; *
my heart teaches me, night after night.

I have set the LORD always before me; *
because he is at my right hand I shall not fall.

My heart, therefore, is glad, and my spirit rejoices; *
my body also shall rest in hope.

For you will not abandon me to the grave, *
nor let your holy one see the Pit.

You will show me the path of life; *
in your presence there is fullness of joy,
and in your right hand are pleasures for evermore.

That’s a marvelous prayer for Eastertide, particularly during a pandemic.

Be safe, be healthy, stay in faith – and above all, be not afraid because Christ our Lord is risen indeed,

Alleluia!

Amen.