The first reading today comes from the Acts of the Apostles. That’s that story, that lengthy story that Luke records of the experience of the early church.
And one of the things that is very much noted in that presentation is transformation.
You have, as we see in the first reading today, the transformation of Peter.
The one who was so fearful that he denied the Lord three times, rather than acknowledge that he had awareness or knowledge or relationship with him.
This is the third Sunday of Easter, and the Gospel is always a resurrection appearance of Jesus. The author shows that Jesus was neither a Ghost nor a Zombie and that this is important for how we live as Christians. We need to hear this just as much as the original audience.
This year St Luke continues the story of the disciples on the way to Emmaus. This is Easter day. Mary Magdelene and other women went to the tomb and found it empty. Two angels told them that he was raised. They told the disciples in the upper room, Peter investigated and returned dazed and confused. Two disciples left Jerusalem for a small-town named Emmaus and Jesus joined them, but they did not know that it was him. The roads were dangerous, and the disciples assumed that this stranger wanted to join them for safety. They discussed Jesus, his death, and the mysterious disappearance of his body. Jesus explains these events from the perspective of scripture, their hearts burned within them, and they invited Jesus to eat with them. At it he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, they recognized him, and he disappeared.
Thus far his risen body is human enough that no one comments on it but different enough from the one that the disciples were used to that they did not recognize him. He was also able to appear and disappear at will. Obviously, Jesus was not simply resuscitated.
A poet wrote that it is not where I breathe but where I love, I live. The risen Jesus has brought us to a world where everything revolves around God’s love and we can live life to the full.
This world begins at the tomb. Jesus had been placed in it hurriedly and now for him to be buried as a Jew he must be anointed with oil. Three women come to do this, but they know that a stone has been rolled over the entrance to prevent animals from defiling a corpse and they will not be able to move it.
They loved Jesus so much that they would risk the wrath of the authorities by tending to his body. This is true love they did not think that he was alive and could no longer do anything for them. Yet although four times in Marks’s gospel Jesus says that he will rise from the dead his disciples, even these brave women and women are the superior disciples in Mark, do not understand, they expected to find a corpse.
After this, aware everything was now finished in order that the scripture might be fulfilled, Jesus said I thirst. There are many phrases that are contained in the different accounts of the passion,
but perhaps this one stands out because it really reflects what Jesus was intent upon.
It’s a phrase that became part of the writings in her daily in her daily diary of the sainted Mother Teresa.
She often wrote that the feeling that she had was a thirst.
If we understand the raising of Lazarus as a great miracle, Jesus is angry with us and that is a good thing. I admit this may take some explaining.
First, geography, history and then an observation
Bethany was a town near Jerusalem, Jesus was most likely in Galilee. He is informed of Lazarus’ illness but knowing that it would take two days to get there nonetheless waits two days to go to Bethany. It is obvious that he wanted to arrive after Lazarus had died.