Truth and Joy, 3rd Sunday of Easter

In the joy and light of Easter, the Spirit says, remember, at daybreak on the first day of the week, the women found the tomb empty.

To the Easter people, the Spirit says, remember that on that very day two followers of Jesus were on the road to Emmaus and there they encountered the Risen Lord, and recognized him in the breaking of bread. It was only then that their hearts burned and they proclaimed Christ risen.

The Spirit says remember, I am the peace given by the Lord.

The Spirit says, believe in the unimaginable.

 We do remember and we commemorate that Jesus, the Christ, the author of life, was unjustly handed over, to suffer and die. We remember and celebrate, that on the third day he rose from the dead. We, remember and witness to all these things and to the  unfathomable joy of Salvation.

 We believe, what John proclaims, that Jesus, the risen Christ is ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father.  Jesus, the righteous one, hears our prayers and takes our case before the Father. It is Jesus, by his self-gift, who accounts for, not just for our sins, but the sins of those of the whole world. In gratitude and thanksgiving, we know something is required of us.

 John makes it very clear - those who say I know him, but do not keep his commandments are liars and the truth is not in them. But, whoever keeps his word, the love of God is truly perfected in him.  Simply said - doing faith perfects love!

On the road from Jerusalem to Emmaus, two disciples encounter Jesus, who at first remained unknown to them. It is only in the breaking of bread that they recognize him. And now enliven by the encounter, with hearts and minds burning with new belief, they return to Jerusalem, to the eleven still in hiding.

 While they are together, in that room, speaking amongst themselves, the Risen Lord stood in their midst. They would come to understand that where two or three are gathered in Jesus’ name he will always be present. But, that time had not come yet.

Today is describing the indescribable.

The disciples are terrified at the surprising sudden appearance of Jesus. They perceive a ghost (phantasma) rather than the Spirit (pneuma). They are amazed and uncertain, fearful and yet joyful. He is Jesus, yet not as he was. Imagine the radical astonishment at suddenly encountering Jesus, risen and glorified.

  Each disciple sees the Lord, but the very self that sees him, is amazed in its ability to see him. They cannot believe their eyes, but are compelled to do so. They must (and do) believe what should (by all rights) not be believed.

 Now this reality cannot be contained, but there is a disparity between the experience itself and the expression of that experience.  What is real seems less real in the telling. No words can do justice. No analogy captures the moment, no metaphor is enough. In the Risen Jesus, they have encountered the Holy Mystery that is within and beyond all things.

Luke says, the disciples were incredulous (to say the least). It was a sublime moment of simultaneous disbelief and belief, fear and joy, the familiar and the uncanny.

Jesus breaks the mood by a rather unexpected request - have you anything to eat? He asks.  Then he simply takes what is offered  and eats.

Like at Emmaus, the breaking of bread confirms the real presence of Jesus. For the emerging Church what had been simple, but profound, table fellowship was becoming sacramental, a remembrance, a making present, a sharing of eternal life.

 And again, like at Emmaus, the real encounter with Jesus opens their minds to scripture. They began to see that what had been written about Jesus had been fulfilled. What had looked like failure, has been revealed as glory. What had been hidden in the Word was now revealed as the Word. Jesus was the Good News.

 Peace be with you, Jesus says to them. I always imagine he added, though all of this I am still with you and I still love you. But, it is not his words that comfort them, words rarely do. It is his very presence that transforms anxiety to peace. It is the encounter with Jesus that makes all things new.

 The disciples are witnesses to these things. We are witness to these things.

Go and tell all nations, he commands us.  All of us!

 And we must obey. Not out of fear or guilt, but out of love. But, we are humbled, and

sometimes painfully, aware that we are imperfect witnesses, bound by imperfect

understanding, using inadequate words and putting forth ineffective action.

But, we do not fear, we persevere.

For in the light of our Easter Faith, we believe the unbelievable.

In the joy of Easter we love beyond our capabilities.

In the radical astonishment of Easter we change what seems unchangeable.

 Christ is risen. This is true and truth has set us free.