Savior

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Savior

Risen   Glorified

Peace   Forgiveness   Holy Spirit

My Lord My God

Victory

(Photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scriptures:   John 20: 19, 22, 23, 25, 28

The risen Jesus appeared in His glory to the apostles and said, "Peace be with you."

After He breathed on them, He said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven."

One of the apostles, Thomas, was not there and refused to believe until he would put his hands in the wounds of Jesus.

Jesus appeared a week later; and when Thomas saw Him, Thomas said, "My Lord and My God."

The First Letter of John 5: 4

The victory that conquers the world is our faith.

Reflection

What does it mean for us to say that Jesus is our Savior?

The author of the Gospel of John shows us how Jesus brings us the gift of salvation. He comes to the apostles when they are confused and afraid. Jesus has been crucified, and they think that all is lost. Who could blame them?

Jesus brings them Peace. He calms them down. He alleviates their very understandable fear. He lets them know that His mission was not over. It would continue with the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus breathes the Holy Spirit into them just as God breathed life into existence in the Book of Genesis (Genesis 2:7). He gives them the power of forgiveness---a power that belongs only to God. God will bestow forgiveness through them.

This was hard for Thomas to accept since he was not there for that first appearance. He had to see Jesus with his own eyes. When he did see Jesus  the following week, he did not hesitate to proclaim Jesus as Lord and God. 

He knew that Jesus could offer salvation. We were free from the power of sin and death. Jesus had won the victory.

It is a victory that we embrace with our faith. We accept the gift of forgiveness and share that gift with those who have hurt us and turned their backs on us. 

We are saved from selfishness, from our embrace of evil and injustice, from our indifference to the needs of others, from the harshness and cruelty of our speech when we accept the gift of the Holy Spirit from Jesus as the apostles did. 

We can bring that saving forgiveness to others. In a world that can sometimes seem to be full of discord and division, we can say, "Peace".

Jesus is risen.

The victory has been won!

1. How does Jesus calm you down when you are afraid?

2. When have you felt the forgiveness of Jesus in your life?

3. What are some of the ways that you have accepted the victory of Jesus in your life?

4. Do you see yourself as a Peacemaker?

5. What feeling do you get as you contemplate Kathy's photo?

(Scripture adaptation, reflection, and questions by John J. McNamara)