Today's Scripture Readings
Acts 3:1-10 (NRSV)
Psalm 118: 19-24 (BCP, p. 762)
Luke 24:13-35 (NRSV)
Blog Reflection
The loneliness and despair seem so unbearable. The pain is even more excruciating. The grief from loss appears inescapable. That is, until someone, a dear friend comes along and shares in our sorrow.
The scene painted for us in the words of our Gospel for today appears as if the Risen Christ did just that for the disciples. They were so disappointed and grieving. The Messiah they had hoped would be the mighty warrior to redeem Israel from the tyranny of the Roman Empire had been Crucified. Just like the stranger who just came to town, Jesus comes, to ask them about what they are talking about. Yet, the disciples do not recognize Jesus. In fact, they see him as the one fool in town who doesn't seem to know what had happened. Jesus tells them word for word the Scriptures that refer to what had happened, and still they did not recognize him. It was not until Jesus sat down with them and broke bread that they realized who he was. Just when the light came on for these weak and faithless men, Jesus vanishes.
The Risen Christ is so often right within our grasp, that we could literally touch and sense him. Jesus often comes to us in the brokenness of an LGBT youth who is being bullied in her/his school. The Risen Christ is in that person in front of us at the grocery counter, who is counting pennies and calling the cashier on any item that was not processed properly by the scanner. Jesus Christ, crucified and alive again is walking around in our neighborhoods in the lonely, the depressed, the poor and the forgotten. Yet, do we recognize Jesus there?
When the Bread that is the Eucharist, the Presence of the Risen Jesus in His Body and Blood, is broken and shared, we receive him. More importantly, His Presence is to be come real in the lives of all who consider ourselves to be part of the Body of Christ. Even though we do not see him, physically, Christ is present there nourishing us and calling us to love one another as we have been loved.
Jesus comes to be with us in our moments of sorrow, loneliness and pain, if we will allow God to be present with us in those moments. Sometimes God comes to us through another person. A friend, a spouse, a minister, a counselor, or just a kind person. Other times, the Risen Christ comes to us by the grace of the Holy Spirit, to console us in our moments of disbelief and anger. To call upon us to trust in God and believe that somehow there is peace and hope, even when all seems hopeless. God may be calling us to die to ourselves in some way, shape or form. But, God is also telling us that there is resurrection on the other side. If God raised up the only, Begotten Son who's acts of redemption benefit all God's people, God will certainly help us to experience Easter Day, whenever we give ourselves up to God's will with trust in the mercy and love of God.
Prayers
Acts 3:1-10 (NRSV)
One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, at three o'clock in the afternoon. And a man lame from birth was being carried in. People would lay him daily at the gate of the temple called the Beautiful Gate so that he could ask for alms from those entering the temple. When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked them for alms. Peter looked intently at him, as did John, and said, "Look at us." And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. But Peter said, "I have no silver or gold, but what I have I give you; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, stand up and walk." And he took him by the right hand and raised him up; and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. Jumping up, he stood and began to walk, and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. All the people saw him walking and praising God, and they recognized him as the one who used to sit and ask for alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
Psalm 118: 19-24 (BCP, p. 762)
Luke 24:13-35 (NRSV)
Now on that same day, the first day of the week, two of the disciples were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. And he said to them, "What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?" They stood still, looking sad. Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered him, "Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?" He asked them, "What things?" They replied, "The things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things took place. Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, and when they did not find his body there, they came back and told us that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who said that he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but they did not see him." Then he said to them, "Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?" Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures.
As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on. But they urged him strongly, saying, "Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over." So he went in to stay with them. When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight. They said to each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?" That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together. They were saying, "The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!" Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread.
Blog Reflection
The loneliness and despair seem so unbearable. The pain is even more excruciating. The grief from loss appears inescapable. That is, until someone, a dear friend comes along and shares in our sorrow.
The scene painted for us in the words of our Gospel for today appears as if the Risen Christ did just that for the disciples. They were so disappointed and grieving. The Messiah they had hoped would be the mighty warrior to redeem Israel from the tyranny of the Roman Empire had been Crucified. Just like the stranger who just came to town, Jesus comes, to ask them about what they are talking about. Yet, the disciples do not recognize Jesus. In fact, they see him as the one fool in town who doesn't seem to know what had happened. Jesus tells them word for word the Scriptures that refer to what had happened, and still they did not recognize him. It was not until Jesus sat down with them and broke bread that they realized who he was. Just when the light came on for these weak and faithless men, Jesus vanishes.
The Risen Christ is so often right within our grasp, that we could literally touch and sense him. Jesus often comes to us in the brokenness of an LGBT youth who is being bullied in her/his school. The Risen Christ is in that person in front of us at the grocery counter, who is counting pennies and calling the cashier on any item that was not processed properly by the scanner. Jesus Christ, crucified and alive again is walking around in our neighborhoods in the lonely, the depressed, the poor and the forgotten. Yet, do we recognize Jesus there?
When the Bread that is the Eucharist, the Presence of the Risen Jesus in His Body and Blood, is broken and shared, we receive him. More importantly, His Presence is to be come real in the lives of all who consider ourselves to be part of the Body of Christ. Even though we do not see him, physically, Christ is present there nourishing us and calling us to love one another as we have been loved.
Jesus comes to be with us in our moments of sorrow, loneliness and pain, if we will allow God to be present with us in those moments. Sometimes God comes to us through another person. A friend, a spouse, a minister, a counselor, or just a kind person. Other times, the Risen Christ comes to us by the grace of the Holy Spirit, to console us in our moments of disbelief and anger. To call upon us to trust in God and believe that somehow there is peace and hope, even when all seems hopeless. God may be calling us to die to ourselves in some way, shape or form. But, God is also telling us that there is resurrection on the other side. If God raised up the only, Begotten Son who's acts of redemption benefit all God's people, God will certainly help us to experience Easter Day, whenever we give ourselves up to God's will with trust in the mercy and love of God.
Prayers
O God, whose blessed Son made himself known to his
disciples in the breaking of bread: Open the eyes of our faith,
that we may behold him in all his redeeming work; who lives
and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God,
now and for ever. Amen. (Collect for Wednesday in Easter Week, Book of Common Prayer, p. 223).
Almighty God, who through your only-begotten Son Jesus
Christ overcame death and opened to us the gate of
everlasting life: Grant that we, who celebrate with joy the
day of the Lord's resurrection, may be raised from the death
of sin by your life-giving Spirit; through Jesus Christ our
Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one
God, now and for ever. Amen. (Collect for Easter Day, Book of Common Prayer, p. 222).
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