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| Grace Episcopal Church, Galveston, Texas April 2018 |
15 April 1018
Gospel: Luke 24:36-48
In today’s Gospel reading, as is fitting for the Easter Season, we have another of the Resurrection appearances, this time from the Gospel According to Luke. As in last week’s reading from the Gospel According to John, Jesus points out the wounds on his body to his joyful but wary disciples so that they will know it is really him as opposed to a ghost or some collective figment of their imaginations. Jesus’ wounds have grasped my attention, so that’s the direction my reflections will go.
Just looking at the two Resurrection appearances we’ve covered thus far in Easter, we can hazard to glean some characteristics of Jesus' Resurrection life. For one thing, in the Gospel According to John we are made aware that the disciples are behind locked doors but these barriers do not impede Jesus from entering to be with them. Resurrection life is not constrained by the same limitations that we experience on this side of life.
For another thing, Jesus’ teaching strategy seems to have changed...rather than teaching indirectly with parables, actions, and sayings that cause us to ponder...now his words have a way of imparting understanding more directly. In today’s reading, the disciples' minds are opened by Jesus to understand the scriptures. Suddenly, the disciples have a realization of the “big picture” of what Jesus is all about. They now understand that Jesus is all about God taking the initiative to be reconciled with humanity...that it is now the job of all disciples to proclaim repentance and forgiveness of sins to all people near and far.
Furthermore, Jesus goes out of his way to show that he is real by asking for some food and, then, eating a piece of broiled fish in front of them. He is still fully God and fully human being only now in a new form of life and on the other side of death. The disciples are dumbfounded and beginning to realize that with God all things are possible.
Now, I come back to those wounds that Jesus so readily shows. In a way, it’s kind of surprising. I like to think of Resurrection life being the best kind of life that we can imagine. Now, those of us with mileage know that our various aches and pains and ailments are down payments on our mortality. One day our poor bodies will give out entirely and, God willing, we will cross to the other side placing our trust in God. We are taught in scripture that Jesus’ Resurrection is a promise to us, a kind of first fruits in which we also will one day participate. But, it is still surprising to me that Jesus bears his wounds on the other side of this life. I like to think of the Resurrection body being a new life without aches and pains, without adult onset diabetes, without the stiffness of frozen shoulder, or any other affliction. I like to think that God allows us to leave all of our hurts behind, so what gives with Jesus having wounds? ...I’m surprised that he bears those and wonder if they still hurt.
Let me tell a story to help prepare for my answer to this question by way of an analogy. I'm remembering one of my students from his kindergarten year. He was a challenge for his teacher because he had frequent meltdowns in class. Something would happen about every other week that would cause an emotional hijacking and he would just start screaming. All we could do was remove him from class and wait for him to reset. Sometimes, his parent would have to come to pick him up because there was no reset. One time I had to carry him out of class. I’ll admit I was worried that it was not going to work and that we would not be able to keep him as a student...it was not fair to the other students and their learning. Then there was a breakthrough. He was sent to my office after an emotional outburst, but this time he reset rather quickly and he was able to talk with me about what happened. "What did you do that was wrong?" I asked. This time he did not insist on blaming another student or pointing to his teacher. He said simply and with some resignation, “I screamed.” Wow, I got to be there the moment that his mind was opened. It finally clicked that his own behavior was the issue. This was some kind of turning point, for I do not recall another event after this that necessitated his having to leave class. Now, you know why I’m so delighted to hear of his continuing success and happiness in school to this day. You see, I’ve got a lot of investment in that boy. I associate quite a few of these gray hairs with him and, you know, I wear these gray hairs quite thankfully because I’m so proud of him.
Ok, here’s my conviction on the scars that Jesus bears...my take on the wounds that Jesus shows his disciples. I believe that bearing these wounds is Jesus’ choice. The wounds are the glory of God; they are the price that Jesus paid for us, for our redemption from the bondage of sin. You see, Jesus has invested his life in us; he's all in. I think he bears his wounds thankfully because of his love for us. Perhaps, we can understand this better when we think of times we have given selflessly to others whom we love.
It is by these wounds that Jesus is known and by which we are healed. Perhaps we are freed from having to bear the scars of this life in heaven precisely because Jesus has chosen to do so on our behalf. Regardless, one thing is sure: In the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, Love has won the victory once and for all. AMEN.
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