"New Day; Same Message" John 20:19-31 - April 30, 2000

This appearance of Jesus to the disciples occurs after the Easter event. It is a new day, but the message is the same. For Jesus once again encourages forgiveness as the primary mission of his reason for being here. "If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them, if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."

To be forgiven does not mean that there are no scars. All of us have scars. They are constant reminders of old wounds. They are memories of pain and suffering. Most always they are experiences that taught us a valuable lesson. Jesus had scars too. He had nail prints in his hands and a scar on his side where he had been pierced by a sword. He forgave his accusers but the scars remain.

A 29-year-old police officer was shot on the streets of New York City. For days his life hung in balance. Finally he pulled through, but he remains a quadriplegic. Today, Steven McDonald occupies a wheelchair and is attached to a ventilator. He travels the country telling his story, speaking about the forgiveness he has found for his assailant.

"Every day I have to forgive again," says McDonald, now age 43. He lives at home in Malverne, New York. He speaks candidly about the experience and the pain he endures. He’s had numerous medical difficulties and admits there were moments when he argued with God about his tragedy. But, McDonald has forgiven Shavod Jones, the man who shot him. He even corresponded with him for years while he was imprisoned. Shavod was killed in a motorcycle accident shortly after his parole in 1995.

McDonald makes it clear that he is still trying to understand why this happened. He says, "The world we live in makes it difficult to feel love and forgiveness, not hatred and bitterness." Every time he speaks about the incident he has to forgive anew. New day, same message. His scars will never go away.

The risen Christ had scars. Easter overcame death, but it didn’t eliminate the scars of the past. The world wrongly accused and tortured an innocent man. We can be thankful for God’s resurrection power but it doesn’t make the scars go away. The Christian faith cannot deny pain and suffering or the existence of scars. We can all experience newness in our life, but we still carry the scars of the past. The reality of scars, however is not an excuse for denying forgiveness in the future. Everyday is a new day and every day we must forgive again.

Forgiveness ultimately comes from God. Jesus forgave sins but acknowledges the fact that he was "sent from God." Forgiveness is not possible without faith in the power of the Almighty to forgive. No matter how forgiving we are, God is still the judge. Our faith in God enables us to move forward in life with our wounds and the scars of our past. It is also a faith that depends on the forgiveness of God when our ability to forgive falls short. McDonald believes that the only reason he could forgive Jones was because God forgave him first.

Along with the blessing of peace the disciples are given the gift of the Holy Spirit and the power to forgive. The fact that Thomas rejected the word of the others illustrates our unwillingness to forgive. Thomas refused to believe. His stubbornness stood in the way of his faith. Nothing prevents forgiveness more than stubbornness. Nothing keeps peace from happening like resistance or reluctance.

When someone is stubborn or obstinate they are hard, stiff or like stone. When Jesus came to the disciples he was totally transparent, soft, open to being touched, completely ready to give, rather than hold back. The power to forgive means we have softened and become flexible. It also means we put aside our pride.

Notice what happened that day when Jesus appeared. The disciples were hiding. They were afraid and feeling powerless. When people have suffered an emotional trauma they often go into hiding, not physically but emotionally. They "stuff" a particular painful event deep in their mind and refuse to share it. What enables McDonald to live each day anew with the ability to forgive is his willingness to share his story rather than keep it within. To tell it is an act of liberation for him. The tragic event may never be fully explained but by sharing his story and forgiving his assailant he is at peace.

The blessing of peace for the disciples was an act of liberation. They had nothing to be ashamed of. Although they deserted Jesus and ran like cowards, Jesus forgave them. And what Jesus experienced actually happened, as the scars confirmed. The Peace blessing gave them comfort and reassurance. In fact, it empowered them.

This event was a significant moment of empowerment in the life of the church. The disciples’ fear was transformed into excitement. Their retreat was changed into courage. And instead of being filled with grief they had new confidence. By giving them the gift of the Holy Spirit, Jesus empowered them to forgive as he forgave. In other words, Just as forgiveness is a gift it is also a gift to be given away.

What will make the community of faith different from the rest of the world is our willingness to freely forgive. The gift of forgiveness will enable us to live in a new day free from guilt and/or shame. It will be a day when we too can come out of hiding and be free from fear and despair.

Dr. Keith Wagner, St. Paul’s United Church of Christ, Sidney, Ohio