Let Not Your Hearts Be Troubled
Jesus draws those around him close, those faithful disciples who have struggled, followed, loved, risked, lived with Jesus. He draws them close, knowing that he is going to be arrested and put to death, and he says to them, in a few different ways: Soon I won’t be with you anymore. Soon you’ll look for me but won’t see me. Soon you’ll reach for me but won’t find me. Not in the ways that you’ve come to expect.
He seems to say, soon you may be angry. Disappointed. Confused. Discouraged. Isolated. Disbelieving. Afraid. Despairing. Hopeless.
Soon, you will grieve.
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I Shall Not Want, But I Do
These green pastures are a place of plenty. A place of hope. A place that reminds us of an eternal truth: that God wishes for us all to have life, and to have life abundant.
God longs for us to rest our minds and our bodies; to breathe deeply and surely; to know that we are being held in the arms of the one who calls us beloved; he leadeth me beside still waters. He restoreth my soul.
Friends, our current times can easily lead to soul-weariness. We long for certainty; and are confronted by the unknown. We long for safety and are confronted by a world that often lacks stability. We long for control and are confronted by our own limitations. Our souls rightly grow weary. And yet, there is the promise of restoration.
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The Road to Emmaus
the people in Luke’s community in their day were a lot like us in 2023. We come from a variety of backgrounds, experiences and cultural reference points, just as they did. Many of us are from other places. Some of us grew up in the Church and some are new to faith. And all of us are trying to navigate a very complex social, economic and political landscape. All of us share a common spiritual longing. We all want to make meaning of our lives and to find what is enduring, what is life-giving, what is foundational.
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The Incredible Credulity of the Resurrection
I’m still not tired of hearing that. Christ is risen my friends, the tomb is empty! I believe this Eastertide that Christ, having died and been buried, rose from the dead on the third day. Not just in spirit, not as an allegory, and not just in the hearts of his disciples. But I believe that Christ Jesus truly rose from the dead, body and all. Christ is truly risen. Alleluia.
Now, if you’re still not entirely sure about this resurrection business, or aren’t sure that you fully understand what exactly it means, that’s okay, today is the Sunday for you. And I’ll add that the very fact that you are here is a testament to your faith, or desire to grapple with faith, even if that faith seems utterly incredulous at times.
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Do Not Hold on to Me
No matter how you found yourself here this morning, welcome. Welcome to the first day of the rest of your life. God is making all things new.
Believe it or not. It’s all true.
If, by chance, you’re not sure of that fact -if you find yourself doubting what Christians profess on Easter or wondering whether it even matters at all -well, that’s fine too. You are not alone.
Much of what we profess in here is not readily apparent out there. This too is true. And, although what we profess at Easter, and carry with us throughout the year, is relatively straightforward –Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again –it also happens to be the greatest mystery of Christian faith. It’s meant to cause us a bit of confusion. It’s meant to be wrestled with. After all, it turned the world upside down, or, rather, right side up.
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Marked as Christ's Own, Forever
This is the unshakeable foundation that we build our lives upon and gives our lives meaning. Whatever losses we experience, we know that Christ died once and for all so that we would not be overcome by grief and despair. When someone we love dies, Christ is there, offering us life. When a cherished relationship goes through dark times, Jesus is with us, holding the light. When we lose a job, or don’t get into our first choice for college, or go through any disappointment or hardship, Jesus is there reminding us that we belong to him and he belongs to us. We are marked as Christ’s own forever. Through baptism, we have an unbreakable bond with him and with each other. Tonight we join with the heavenly hosts, choirs of angels, and all creation as we proclaim the eternal message of Mother Church. Alleluia! Christ is risen. The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia!
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