Yesterday the church looked at the reading from John 20:19-end (It is attached at the bottom of this message). It is a powerful reading that shows the delight of the disciples, the excitement of John, the author, and the road that they’ve travelled to get there. Like the country at the moment, and many parts of the world, we are walking a road never travelled before. A road strewn with pitfalls and detours. A road none of us trained to take.

But as we walk this road we find that we are not in isolation as we walk it. Families come together – if only by the use of phones and technology.

Colleagues and neighbours are sharing and supporting each other – if only by passing pasta and milk from door to door.

The locked doors that held the disciples saw a breakthrough of love and peace in the figure and risen body of Jesus.

Regardless of the fear they felt, the isolation they encountered and the uncertainty they agonises over – Jesus broke through.

The locked doors that kept the disciples safe also kept them in fear and doubt yet the words of Jesus brought hope and understanding.

Regardless of the blackness of their surroundings and their lack of insight into the future, Jesus spoke peace, encouragement and purpose.

And I’m sure that we have all felt these things over the past 5 weeks. Whether because we are in our houses more than we would normally have been or as we’ve caught the daily news briefings from Whitehall or we’ve felt overwhelmed by the amount of information or the inability to plan for the future – we will have been hit by waves of sadness, fear or doubt.

But in these days it is important that there are waves of a different kind sweeping our communities:

Waves of awesomeness like the achievement of Tom Moore.

Waves of loves towards key workers and NHS staff.

Waves of kindness for vulnerable people unable to shop or leave their homes.

Waves of faith as people tune into online Prayer times, Services, Bible Studies and Worship streams in numbers never seen before.

So as you start your week remember John’s words:

‘Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.”

May this belief and the positive waves we see washing over our world encourage you to stay strong in the faith and generous in your serving of the Lord.

Sending you waves of love.