Easter 3B: See me! Touch me! Witness to me!

“Moses said to YHWH, “But, never in my life have I been a man of eloquence,

either before or since you have spoken to your servant.” Ex 4:10

Easter 3B: See me! Touch me! Witness to me!

 Fantastic! Outstanding! Incredible! Thanks to blockbuster movies, and ad campaigns, we have come to expect that if life isn't “sensational,” something must be wrong. If we are not careful, we can apply those expectations to our spiritual journey and fail to see the hand of God in the ordinary events of life. Even more tragic, we might fail to recognise God's loving care for us in the midst of trials. Let’s face it, life typically isn't fantastic. Usually, life is ordinary and sometimes painful. But that is when we do the most learning and growing. That is when we have the greatest opportunity to encounter the risen Jesus, if we have eyes to see. In Luke's gospel (24:35-48) we encounter two disciples who had been on their way to Emmaus. They were leaving Jerusalem, their hopes shattered after Jesus' death. Then they meet the risen Lord. They do not recognise him at first, but they did after he opened the Scriptures for them and broke bread with them. After their encounter they returned to the community in Jerusalem with the news of what had happened. While they were still speaking to the community, Jesus stands in their midst. The community in Jerusalem may be together, but they are not a true community. They are fragmented by fear, with shattered hopes and now possibly in danger. We possibly can identify with the pain of the two despondent disciples on the road to Emmaus and the fear-filled disciples in Jerusalem. We, too, are pilgrims on a journey through life. We, too, can despair of life’s circumstances from time to time and lose heart when our expectations come to a tragic end. But remember, every trial is an opportunity to discover what God wants us to see. Luke tells us they returned to the community to share their 'good news' that they had me the risen Christ. Despite the witness of those who had seen the risen Lord, the disciples in Jerusalem find it hard to believe. What helps them is that Jesus comes and says, "Peace be with you" encouraging them not to be afraid. Then he invites them to touch him. Still more, he asks for food and eats in their presence. The resurrected Christ is very physically present, very much as he was when they travelled and ate together. Jesus reminds them that he is the same, yet there is something very different about him. The one they knew is with them, he has proven that by establishing his physical presence.

Yet, the disciples need more in order to accept his new presence with them. What he did for the two disciples on the road to Emmaus he does again for the disciples in Jerusalem. He "opened their minds to understand the scriptures' (a desperate need in the church today) so they can understand him in the context of the fulfillment of the promises God made to their ancestors. Can they understand what God can do for us in bringing new life after death? Jesus doesn't choose just certain Scriptures as proof texts. He tells them, "everything written about me in the law of Moses, and in the prophets and psalms must be fulfilled." After opening their minds to understand the Scriptures, Jesus says to them and us; "You are witnesses of these things." Having the Scriptures opened is not a Bible class, or a historical look-back. Once the disciples and we experience the risen Christ, we are reminded we must "witness" to all we have heard and seen. In the New Testament "witness" means "martyr." That's what is asked of us by the risen Christ. We must give (live) our lives as witnesses to him. Each one of us must show concretely our belief in the resurrection.

Jerusalem may be the location of today's passage, but it is just the starting point. The Holy Spirit, would drive those newly anointed out of the upper room to be witnesses to the whole world. Many of those first "witnesses" shed their blood because of their faith. The experience of martyrdom for the faith continues to this day in many places in the world. When we gather for Eucharist as like-minded people, we could be tempted to stay safe and cosy. However, we are to be witnesses to Christ, bearers of the risen Lord to the world. We share the Eucharistic meal together, the same meal Jesus gave the disciples on the road to Emmaus. The Scriptures are opened for us and we break bread together. It's a good reminder that our Eucharist isn't a meal just for our needs. It is also a nourishment for us all disciples who have a long road ahead. As we travel that road we will have to be "witnesses" of our faith, even if it costs everything. Being Christian in the world asks a lot from us. We need help and we get it from our God who opens our minds "to understand the Scriptures" and feeds us with the body and blood of our risen Christ at the Eucharist.

Third Sunday of Easter-B-Br Simeon

Andre-Rublev's Saviour

  Homily preached by Br. Simeon at Maroubra on Sunday 19^th April 2015:  
THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER. YR. B

Gospel:  Luke 24: 36-48

The two disciples told the eleven and their companions what had happened on the road to Emmaus, and how Jesus had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread.
While they were talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you . . . These are the words that I spoke to you while I was still with you -- that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.”

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart, be acceptable in Thy sight O Lord my strength and my redeemer. Amen.

It’s not enough that the tomb is empty. It’s not enough to proclaim, “Christ is risen!” It’s not enough to believe in the resurrection. At some point we have to move from the event of the resurrection to experiencing the resurrection. Experiencing resurrected life begins with recognising the risen Christ among us. That is the gift of Easter and it is also the difficulty and challenge described in today’s gospel.

Today’s Gospel is the conclusion of Luke’s account of Jesus’ first post-resurrection appearance to his disciples. The two disciples who met Jesus on the road to Emmaus have returned to Jerusalem to confirm the women’s story of the resurrection. While they are excitingly telling their story, Jesus appears.

Luke goes to great lengths in his Easter accounts to make clear that the resurrection was not the fantasy of crazy zealots nor is the resurrection story a plot concocted by the disciples who somehow managed to spirit the body of Jesus away (according to Luke’s account, the disciples themselves had not gone near the tomb themselves or even expected any kind of “resurrection”).  In the details he presents here, Luke is countering the arguments forwarded to explain away the resurrection myth.  There can be no mistake:  The resurrection of Jesus Christ is a reality, a reality in which all of the Scriptures find their ultimate fulfilment.

For Luke, the power of Jesus’ resurrection is realised in the way it “opens” one’s heart and mind to understanding the deeper meaning of God’s Word and to fully embracing the Spirit of God.  In our faith and trust in the Risen Christ, we become “witnesses” of the mercy and forgiveness of God.

In the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus, God reveals in a specific moment of

history, in a specific location on earth, the limitless and eternal love the Father has for

his people.

God continues to make the miracle of the empty tomb present to us in the caring, compassion and love we receive and give -- the love we have witnessed in the suffering of Christ, a love that is victorious even over death.

In today’s Gospel, the Risen Jesus challenges his disciples -- and us -- to recall what he taught and what they had witnessed.  The Easter miracle is God’s assurance that love and forgiveness, even in the most difficult situations, are never offered in vain; in learning to cope without losing hope, in learning from the painful realities of life and in accepting the lessons learned in God’s Spirit of humility and patience, we become capable of growth, re-creation, transformation -- and resurrection.

Just as the Risen Christ asks the Eleven for “something to eat,” he asks the same of us today in the cries and pleas of the poor and needy among us.  In imitating his humble compassion we, in turn, discover meaning and purpose that “feed” our own hunger for meaning, for fulfilment, for God in our lives.

Easter faith opens our eyes and hearts to realise God’ hand in every moment of time, transforms our attitudes to realise the need for God’s compassion and forgiveness in every human encounter, lifts up our spirits to hope even in the face of life’s most painful and traumatic moments.

Amen.

Third Sunday of Easter - Br Simeon

St- Andre-Rublev's Saviour 

Homily preached at Winmalee on Sunday May 4^th 2014 

Third Sunday of Easter Br. Simeon: 

 THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER

Gospel: Luke 24:13-35

“Emmaus”

May I speak in the Name of the one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Today, in this the Third Sunday of Easter, we continue with the season of Easter and today we get an Easter story for the rest of us, the rest of us who were not there on that first Easter morning, the rest of us who have not physically touched the Risen Christ, the rest of us who like these very disciples, went to the empty tomb, found it just like the women said, but didn’t find or see Jesus. This story is for the rest of us, those of us who are experiencing the story of the resurrection some two thousand years later.

Oddly enough, I find it comforting that the authors of the Gospels include stories like this one for us post- first Easter people. These stories that let us know that we are not alone in our doubt, in our uncertainty, in our frustration, in our need to actually experience the Risen Christ, in our need to have something more ; something real; something tangible rather than let the resurrection be an experience that someone else tells us about.

I also find it oddly comforting that just like these very disciples, the Risen Christ can be in my very midst and I miss the signs. Well, that’s not quite right. I guess I should say that in spite of the fact that I can get so caught up in my needs and wants and miss the Risen Christ, I find it comforting to know and to hold on to the assurance that this is not the end of the story. What I really should say is that

the comforting part of the post-first Easter story is that even when I get caught up in my own needs and wants, the Risen Lord meets me and shakes me out of my tunnel vision until my eyes are opened and I experience the Risen Lord right in front of me.  That’s the good news for me and for all of us as believers.

Luke shares this wonderful story about two disciples who were so disappointed, so disorientated, and so frustrated on that very Easter day when others were celebrating that they decided to leave town. They had heard the story from the women but to be honest their story sounded more like a cruel joke than anything they could really believe or find hope and comfort in. They had just lost their friend, their teacher, the one that they hoped would be the Messiah, who had come to make everything right and restore Israel once more, and now these ladies, these joyous, excited women were saying that Jesus had appeared to them, that Jesus was raised from the dead, that Jesus was alive.

It was all too much to take in. In fact, a group of them were so confused and shocked by the news that they went to the tomb themselves but when they got to the tomb, Jesus wasn’t there like the women had said. Sure the stone was rolled away. Sure the grave clothes were laying there but no Jesus. Surely, if Jesus had been raised from the dead, surely if Jesus had been resurrected, he would want to speak to all his disciples, those ones who were with him from the very beginning, those ones who had been with him from the start.

Surely, if Jesus was alive, he would have wanted to see all of his followers, not just a special few. What made these ladies so special that Jesus came to them and not all the disciples? Why did Jesus choose to see just these few and not see everyone? Why didn’t Jesus hang around the empty tomb until all the disciples could be there to find him and to see him once more?

All of it was just too much: the stories, the joy, the frustration, the doubt, the hurt, the anger. So these two disciples decided to leave because it was all just too much. And with each passing step, with each hurt emotion, their hearts and their minds become more closed off to the good news, the hopeful news that was just shared with them by their fellow disciples.

But along their journey to Emmaus, a place of safety, a place of refuge, a place where they just didn’t have to hear any more about this hurtful news and cruel joke that Jesus was alive, they encounter a stranger.

There was something oddly familiar about him but they just couldn't quite put their fingers on what it was. And then he began to speak and again, there was something oddly familiar about his words. His words remind them of things that Jesus used to say...but then all of a sudden, they remembered Jesus was gone. But still there was something familiar about what he was saying. Jesus used to say things like that. He used to talk about God’s saving acts from the very beginning...but then they remembered that Jesus was gone. As the night fell and these two disciples got close to their refuge in Emmaus, they invited this oddly familiar stranger to stay with them. And a funny thing happened...the Risen Christ broke through all of their hurt, all of their doubt, broke through their frustration, and opened their hearts. He met them in that very moment and welcomed them as his very own.

Jesus took a loaf of bread, blessed it, and broke and gave it to them...

And their eyes were opened and their hearts were healed. Through those few simple words, they experienced the Risen Christ and they remembered. They remembered the promises that Jesus gave to them that he would never let them be alone. They remembered Jesus’ words of comfort and hope that even after he was gone, whenever two or three were gathered, Jesus would be there as well. They remembered how Jesus would tell them about the unconditional love of God through the stories of God’s saving acts, testifying to God’s grace and God’s mercy now and for evermore.

Through the simple acts of breaking bread and sharing and remembering their stories with Jesus, remembering The Story of God’s goodness and grace, these two disciples realised in that moment that their Lord and Saviour had come to them once more. He had come to them just like he promised he would. He had broken through their doubt, their frustration, their hurt, through their tunnel vision clouded by their own wants and needs to show them that he was there all along. They had just missed the signs.

These two disciples who had closed themselves off from God’s gift of good news were now experiencing the Risen Christ in new and comforting but oddly familiar ways; they were experiencing the good news now as people brought back to hope once more through acts of discipleship that all believers are invited to experience. They were experiencing the Risen Christ by remembering and sharing the Word of God and through the breaking of bread: gifts of God’s love for all of God’s children.

Even when Jesus vanished, the hurt, the frustration and the doubt didn’t come flooding back in. Because in that moment, these two disciples understood that Jesus is alive always, that Jesus is with us always because we are called to remember, because we are called to come to the table and share; because we are called to celebrate the story of how God has acted in the past, celebrate the story of how God continues to act in this world still, celebrate the story of how God has promised to work in this world always through the promise and the power of the resurrection by  bringing new life to all of God’s children.

It was in those moments of hope and fellowship that these two disciples realised that their Lord and Saviour would always be with them now and forever more because they understood that we have been given the Word of God to comfort us, to strength us, to inspire us, to guide us, and to lead us along our journeys. It was in those moments of recognition and realisation at the table that these

two disciples accepted the promise that their Lord and Saviour would always be with them now and forever more because every time they would gathered  around the table, they would remember the sacrifice that Jesus made for all of his disciples, past, present and future.

And that my friends, is the good news and the blessings that are available to the rest of us this morning. We have the wonderful knowledge that just because we weren’t at the empty tomb on that first Easter morning, that we didn’t miss our chance to experience the Risen Christ. We are given that opportunity every time we engage in studying, in remembering, in reflecting, in sharing the Word of God. We are given the opportunity to experience the Risen Christ every time we break bread together as Disciples of Christ.

The Good News for us, this morning, is that the Risen Christ meets us where we are through the acts of engaging the Word of God and breaking bread together. The Good News for us is that our journeys of faith are opportunities for us to meet the Risen Christ. No matter where we are in our journeys, we have the promise that the Risen Christ will meet us where we are and shake us up and break us out of tunnel vision to really see and experience him. The Good News for us is that we have the promise that wherever two or three are gathered, the Risen Christ is with us, guiding us, leading us, and renewing us for our journeys.

Amen.