Reading for Easter/C: Luke 24:1-10
Apr. 15, 2001
The Rev. Karen Siegfriedt
St. Jude the Apostle Church, Cupertino CA,
An ancient mystic was sitting among his disciples when one of them asked: "There is a man walking around town, claiming to be the messiah. Master, is it true?" The teacher opens the window and reaches out his hand to feel the wind. After a moment's concentration, he says, "No, it is not true." Most of the students are quite impressed at their master's ability to sense the spiritual reality by the wind. However, one novice, who is a bit rebellious, asks: "If you are so spiritually intuitive, then why did you need to put your hand out the window? Why couldn't you sense the air in the room to see if the Messiah had arrived?" The master responds ever so softly, "Because in my room, the Messiah has already come."
Today's gospel story reports the experience of several women who had come to the tomb, seeking to prepare Jesus' dead body with spices. They were coming to do what was good and right and proper for the body. They came looking for the dead. They did not come seeking the living. They had come to anoint his body only to be met with the challenge, "Why do you look for the living among the dead?"
As we celebrate this day of resurrection, I think that this is a very important question for all of us to ask ourselves. Are we still seeking the living among the dead? Do we experience the power and presence of God in our daily life or are we seeking the living among the dead by having to depend on some ancient church doctrine to make sense out of Easter? Do we, like the mystic in the story, experience the messiah in our own "inner room" or are we seeking the living among the dead by having to reach outside ourselves by relying on ancient texts for a glimpse of hope?
After the death of Jesus, his disciples continued to experience his presence as a living reality. No, Jesus did not resume a normal human life. He was not resuscitated. He was resurrected. This means that he appeared and disappeared at will, moving in and out of human perception. So powerful was this experience of a living reality that it caused his disciples to move from a place of fear and despair to a place of love and empowerment.
This power of the resurrected Christ continues to operate today in the lives of those who strive for the kingdom of God. And what I mean by the kingdom of God is that time when there will be right relationships between people and God, people and people, and between people and the creatures of this planet. This is what we are striving for: A world in which there is justice and peace and respect for the dignity of every human being. It is known as the path of love and it is the path that Jesus showed us by his life and teachings. This path is alive and well. Let me give you a simple example of someone who walks this path.
Several months ago, the Canon Educator of this diocese came to speak to our graduates who had just completed a ministry course here at St. Jude's. She had arrived early and was sitting in her car collecting her thoughts. All of a sudden, she heard some loud voices nearby. At first it seemed like laughter; perhaps some people engaging in fun and games. But after carefully listening, it sounded more like distress than joy.
She got out of her car and saw a young man spinning around a young woman on his shoulders. She approached them and raised her voice: "Excuse me. What's going on?" No answer. "Excuse me. What's going on?" "Oh nothing," replied the young man. "Is everything O.K.?" "Oh yea, said the young man, "she is just my cousin and we are playing around." "Well, it doesn't look like she is having much fun. I think you better leave her alone." At this point, the man puts the woman down. She runs over to her car and gets in. The man goes over to the car to open the door but she has locked it. As he turns to get his bag, she pulls out of the driveway in haste, abandoning the young man.
Whenever we take the time out of our busy day, to reach out to help those in need, we are walking the path of love and seeking the Living One. Whenever we say "no" to the powers of the world which corrupt and destroy the creatures of God, we are walking the path of love and seeking the Living One. Whenever we care about another human being, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, seek justice, respect our planet earth, we are walking the path of love and seeking the Living One. Faith in the resurrection is not an intellectual assent to an ancient church doctrine or text. Rather, faith in the resurrection is experiencing and articulating the living reality of God, residing in that room in our heart, such that we are moved to practice compassion in the midst of suffering and love in the face of fear.
Alleluia, Christ is risen. The Lord is risen indeed, alleluia!
| Updated 4/17/01 |
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