Fear Locks the door

When the Catholic Preaching Institute asked me to write 300 words “From the Pew” for Pentecost, I knew exactly what I wanted to write about!

You can see the Gospel and the “From the Pulpit” commentary, along with my reflection, here on the St. Charles Borromeo Seminary website. This is what I wrote:

From the Pew: June 8, 2025
Pentecost Sunday (John 20:19-23)

When I was in my thirties, my mother and I had a running disagreement about whether she should lock her screen door at bedtime. “The only person a locked screen door keeps out is a relative with a key!” I would insist—usually after spending way too long trying to get my parents’ attention on a Saturday morning before cell phones. But Mom could not be dissuaded. Although the home was secured by a lock and a German shepherd, flipping that little latch gave her a bit more peace.

One can’t blame the disciples for bolting the door after Jesus’ execution; as his followers, they were understandably terrified. And yet, just as Mom’s screen door was vulnerable to any two-bit burglar with a box cutter, the disciples’ barricade was not going to thwart anyone truly bent on doing them harm. Nor was it an obstacle for Jesus, who appeared in their midst and offered them peace.

But note what Jesus did not offer them: safety.  He didn’t say, “You don’t have anything to be afraid of,” or “Nothing bad will ever happen to you.”  Indeed, he did the opposite: showed them the brutal evidence of his crucifixion, then sent them forth as the Father had sent him. And we know that they went on to suffer for their faith, often meeting violent ends.

The fears that keep me up at night cannot be put to rest by even the strongest lock. Everyone I love will die—unless I beat them to it, which may also be no picnic. Untold hardships await us all. Fortunately, the peace Jesus bestows is not dependent on untroubled circumstances, but on our embrace of his Spirit’s abiding presence.

Fear locks the door, but Jesus walks right in. Will we accept peace on his terms?