Gratitude Reflection (Sorrow)
Reading: John 20:19 & 20.
Theme: Walking Life with Peace.

Shalom! Beloved brothers and sisters,
It is a joy when in this life we have the opportunity to enjoy the company of those we love. Take, for example, family; the people who are important in our lives, always there when we need help in any situation, and the joy of being with them cannot be replaced by anything.

For some people who live far from family, there is certainly a longing for the joy and happiness of being together with loved ones. Often, because of the distance, hearing their voices brings great comfort to our hearts. Even in meeting them, their smiles or hugs bring us immense happiness. The presence of those we love always brings warmth into our lives.

On the other hand, when those we love leave us, there is a feeling that something is missing from our lives. There is something incomplete in the family community, but also in each individual within the family. Their departure leaves an empty and hollow space in our lives.
This emptiness affects our entire life, so often we:

• Lose our enthusiasm.

• Feel deep sadness that lasts for a long time.

• Even the cause of the departure of those we love may make our hearts feel unrest, uneasy, and without peace.

• The lack of peace makes it hard to walk through life step by step and see the goodness of God.

Beloved brothers and sisters,
How can believers have the strength and spirit to continue walking through life without those we love?

Through God’s Word today, we will look at the most important part of life that helps us live with peace and joy, trusting that God is always with us in every situation we encounter in life.

Let us look at God's Word!
The Gospel of John particularly discusses the identity of Jesus as the Son of God, His omnipotence, which is present in the reality of human existence. John, as the beloved disciple of Jesus, records a testimony for believers to strengthen their faith and hope in God amidst doctrinal disputes, pressures, persecution, and even potential divisions within the Christian community.
Jesus Christ is the central figure who transforms the ruined life of humanity, restores relationships with the Creator, and strengthens their faith through His resurrection.

This Gospel passage paints a picture of the emotional state of the disciples, so they chose to stay in a locked room.
The turmoil of the Passion, Crucifixion, and Resurrection of Jesus created a storm of emotions in the hearts of the disciples.
The disciples hid in a locked room to protect themselves from public attention. As followers of Jesus, the disciples experienced a mix of emotions. The locked door became a symbol of the "absence of peace, joy, and the hope of life" because of the disciples’ fear.
The departure of Jesus, their hope, created emptiness in their community and within each disciple.
The resurrection and the false reports from the authorities further caused unrest and anxiety in the hearts of the disciples.

However, in the locked room, amid all the turmoil of their hearts,
Jesus, with His power, appeared and declared peace to the disciples.
Jesus' presence offered this "Peace" to break open the locked room, even the hearts of the disciples, a space that held all the turmoil, fear, loss of hope, and lack of joy.
We cannot imagine what would have happened if Jesus had not appeared to the disciples who locked themselves in.
However, the offering of "Peace" is confirmed by the image of Jesus’ suffering (verse 20). The wounds that Jesus showed to the disciples transformed their faith and hope, from fear into courage, from hopelessness into joy, because Jesus showed them the fact of His resurrection.

Beloved brothers and sisters!
The omnipotence of Jesus, present in the midst of the disciples, shows that He is able to come and transform all fears, turning the absence of hope into new joy, and give hope to walk through life.
There is no peace and serenity without the presence of Jesus. There is no joy without a great revelation of love. There is no hope in life without peace and joy.

Jesus Christ is present and answers all those absences, filling the empty spaces in both the community and individual followers.
Thus, the "Peace" that Jesus gives enables every believer to live life with strength, hope, and joy.

Blessed brothers and sisters in Christ!
The absence of peace and joy due to losing those we love places us in a space that is empty and hollow, and we lose the energy and enthusiasm to walk through life.
The absence of peace and joy causes us to be overwhelmed by various emotions that affect our thinking and actions.
It becomes difficult for us to see the best parts of our daily lives.

God's Word today reminds us,
As believers, that:

1. Jesus is able to be present anywhere, even in the hardships we face. When Jesus is present, He knows the path we should take. He knows the best part of our lives. And His presence demonstrates His boundless love that wants to embrace us.

2. The emotional turmoil we experience makes it hard to step out of the empty and hollow space in our lives. The "Peace and joy" that Jesus gives helps us walk through life with peace, joy, and trust that Jesus is there and is the companion of our journey.

As we reflect on gratitude today, we are invited to embrace and hold on to His "peace and serenity."
With God's help, we believe that only through His presence and peace can we live this life.
Will we accept the best part that Jesus gives to us?

God help us.