“Peace be with you”. These are the first words of the risen Jesus to his disciples when he appears to them on the evening of the day of the resurrection. The first gift of the resurrection is the peace of the Lord. It is a greeting which can also be used at the beginning of Mass: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. The first effect of this greeting, this peace, is to fill the disciples with joy. We read in the gospel account that the risen Jesus first appeared to Mary Magdalene, and he commissioned her to go and find the brothers. There is though no clear evidence of where they were gathered, but tradition identifies the Upper Room as the place where they had assembled. The same place where on the evening of the prior Thursday, Jesus had instituted the Eucharist. Such a possibility is not beyond reason, and if true, then a clear linkage is being made between the two events of the institution of the eucharist, and the real presence of the risen Jesus. Indeed, if we read on, we are told that eight days later (the following Sunday), the disciples are gathered once more, and the risen Jesus appears before them in like fashion, greeting them with his peace, and offering himself to them once more.
Perhaps what we are witnessing here is a primitive, very early description of some of the elemental features of what will become the Mass. It begins with a greeting and an offering of peace, coupled with a sense of Joy and exuberance at being together in the presence of Jesus. There is a commissioning and a moment of penitential healing. The real presence of the risen Lord is self evidently with them as Jesus speaks to Thomas and evokes from him his profession of faith. All these moments are clearly alluding to what quickly became the weekly gathering as described in the Book of Acts. (Ac C2 v 46-47)
And here we are today, likewise gathering to greet each other and to exchange the peace of the risen Lord. To receive his forgiveness and healing and to be commissioned and sent by Jesus just as he was sent by the Father. Our doors, whether open or closed, present no barrier to his being present amongst us. He comes to us, and we come to him, to receive him in the broken bread to heal the brokenness of our lives. He dissolves our fears as he offers his wounds to salve our wounds and we respond in faith and hope. This is the beating heart of the Church, gathered in this cenacle or upper room, as it does in millions of others on this and on each Sunday or dominical day.
How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord God of hosts.
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