DO NOT BE AFRAID.

 The post-Resurrection stories in the Gospels contain so many wonderful and inspiring stories. Remember that the risen Christ from the empty tomb first appears to a woman--to Mary Magdalen, one of his most fervent supporters, who gave money and time to Jesus during his ministry, only 3 years, and was one of 3 women who stayed by Jesus as he was crucified. The dudes all fled. At the tomb Mary sees Jesus and thinks he is the gardener, asking, "Where have you put him?" Then she sees him as Christ after he NAMES her--"Miriam."

 

 She races back to tell the disciples the good news (which is what "Gospel" means) that Jesus has risen, but of course, being a woman, they do not believe her. It takes Peter and John running to the empty tomb to authenticate Mary's witness, also seeing the burial cloths (which later become The Shroud of Turin) bundled up on the stone ledge.

 

 Jesus appears to two of his disciples on the road to Emmaus (in Luke 24:13) 

and is unrecognized by him until they stop for supper.  He takes bread, blesses it, and gives it to them. Suddenly, the eyes of the disciples are opened to the risen Christ.

 He appears several times later, one of my favorite being on the beach at Galilee where Jesus is roasting fish over a fire, and He invites the disciples to join him. They have, strangely despite all that had happened, gone back to their former lives as fishermen, but that day were having no luck at all until Jesus tells them to drop their nets on the right side.

 Which they do, and are filled with 153 fish, bringing them back without nets tearing, ready to share food with Jesus. Can you imagine eating roasted fish beside Jesus on a beach in Galilee? It beggars the mind.

 Ok, the Do Not Be Afraid has gotten a bit swept to the side, except for the Resurrection appearance when the disciples and followers are all huddling together in the upper room with the door locked, for fear of being identified and harmed for being followers. He breezes through the locked door saying, "Do not be afraid." Here I am. It is me. See my wounds, touch them, put your fingers into them and see that I am real, here with you. Which Thomas did, immortalized in my favorite Carravaggio painting.

 

 But this is the mantra we need--I need--to keep in my mouth, to say silently within as the world spins in such a frightening direction: climate change bringing many disasters, especially to the poorest parts of our earth; Ice caps melting; Putin with his insane, greedy geopolitical war, crushing Ukraine to rubble; the loss of so many species and birds which I see up here on my hill; evolving viruses causing pandemics with no end in sight; and do not forget the crazy right-wing Republicans who are trying to take over School Boards, Governorships, State Houses, Congress, and the Supreme Court. It is enough to make anyone despair.

 And yet--that tomb is still empty. Those burial cloths are imprinted with the risen body of Jesus. He continues to come through the locked door of our hearts saying, "Be not afraid. I am with you."

 He didn't say--Do Not Worry, however! I reserve the right to fret and worry about things, but in the end, I am going to open that door to my heart, let Him in, and say, "Here, have a seat. I have kept this just for you."