Easter 2 Year A 2020

The Rev. Deacon Lisa Kirby

Today is the is second Sunday OF Easter, not after Easter. Remember Easter lasts 50 days, during which we are called to examine our relationship with the Risen Lord and his call to us.

  It is also known as “low Sunday” because generally, we see much lower attendance, than last week

Perhaps this particular Sunday is lower for us than normal because of our situation of isolation and uncertainty.  Distancing is hard.   This is all particularly hard for those who live alone.  I particularly hold you close in my heart.

In the reading from John, the disciples are in a room with the doors locked.  Many of us feel that way these days.  If our doors are not literally locked, we are still behind the closed doors of our homes. We are separated from those we love.  Some of us, like the disciples are in fear, not of the Jews, but of a virus. But how many times does Jesus say to us “Be not afraid”.  And, like the disciples, we need to hear the words “peace be with you” .

The lesson for this Sunday from Peter, which we did not read, says “Although you have not seen him, you love Him”.  How do we do that?  It’s a soul thing, a faith thing, always has been always will be.  Pretty strong stuff when you ponder it’s 2,000 years billions of believers and still counting.

Today we have our annual visit with Thomas---.  Doubting Thomas, or perhaps, “Just missed the Boat Thomas.

Now John, at times, writes in lawyerly fashion outlining the case for belief in the Risen Lord.  Thomas wants the physical evidence, not hearsay.  He gets his wish, touches the wounds and then he believes. 

Have you seen pictures of Mary Magdalen with a red egg in her hand? The story is of Mary Magdalene, apparently with an egg in her hand for some reason, testifying to Jesus resurrection before a king who says “It is no more possible for a man to rise from the dead than for that egg in your hand to turn red”.  As he spoke those words, the egg in her hand turned red. 

He comes to believe.

Jesus says to Thomas “Have you believed because you have seen me?  Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe” Who is he talking about?  Is he talking about us? {Perhaps.

We are called to be an Easter People, part of new community.  Part of that involves moving from hiding in fear, as the disciples were, to courageous witness. 

We are called to come out from behind the locked doors of convention and the world’s conventional expectations and to move out to spread the word to those who have not seen and do not believe, even if we cannot go out our doors, physically. 

We can still witness by our actions; our phone calls, emails, cards and notes; we CAN calm the fears of those who are living in anxiety and fear and isolation.  We do know how to do that!! Even if we claim not to have seen the risen lord.

The fact is that we have seen the Risen Lord in the faces of love, and heard him speak in the words of love to each other.

Generally, when I am building a sermon, a song or hymn comes to my mind.  This past week it was “Have you Seen Jesus, my Lord which I learned at Cursillo.

Have you seen Jesus my Lord?

He’s here in plain view

Take a look, open your eyes

He’ll show it to You.

Have you ever stood at the ocean, with the white foam at your feet, felt the endless thundering motion, then I say, You’ve seen Jesus my Lord.

Have you ever stood in the family with the Lord there in your midst, Seen the face of Christ on each other? Then I say, you’ve seen Jesus my Lord.

Look into the faces of the people around us who are giving unselfishly of what they have for the furtherance of God’s kingdom.  Look at the face of a teacher, a nurse, a mental health worker, first responders, even if it’s just on a screen.  Look into the faces of these people and others around you for it is there that you may see and come to believe.

When you look in their eyes, you’ll have seen Jesus my Lord.