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EASTER TWO

“This Jesus God raised up, and of that all of us are witnesses.”

Peter, the Apostle, speaking in the Book of Acts, is quite clear. He and the other apostles, had just experienced the overwhelming presence of the Holy Spirit. This phenomenon was so dramatic that bystanders were startled to observe the happening. The apostles and other disciples of Christ all spoke at once about the deeds and power of God. The bystanders each heard and understood. They were amazed. Some reacted by stating that the apostles must be drunk from wine.

Peter responded to this charge of drunkenness. Peter stated clearly with texts from Hebrew scripture that God did not abandon, did not leave in Hades, nor leave for decomposition, the body of the Messiah. “This Jesus God raised up, and of that we are witnesses,” that is what Peter proclaimed.

It is interesting that during the first days of Easter the Church has chosen to testify to the Risen Christ to the Apostles. The authors of each of the Gospels have carefully woven the witnessing events in order that we can hear; and in hearing, can believe; and in believing, can have faith to be witnesses in our turn.

First, there are the Easter morning accounts. The women, the Marys discovered the empty tomb. They are the first to be in contact with the resurrected Lord. Then two disciples also witnessed the empty tomb. Later that day Jesus came to the apostles who were shut up in a house, hiding, worrying. Jesus came to them and said, “Peace be with you”

On the evening of that first day, two disciples were on the way to Emmaus, a road journey by foot. They met up with a stranger. The stranger shared the biblical evidence with the two, opening scriptures up to their understanding. They invited the stranger to stop for supper. At the meal the stranger becomes known, becomes the living Christ: “He took bread, gave thanks, broke it and gave it to them to eat.” In this action they knew they were with the Risen Christ. They rushed off to tell the other disciples back in Jerusalem.

Again, as they share the wonder of all that is rapidly taking place, Jesus appears in their midst. Once more Jesus explains the situation. He then tells the eye witnesses to this event to tell the world. “You are witnesses to these events,” says Jesus.

Thomas, one of the apostles is not present. When told about the appearance, Thomas says, “No way, I will not believe unless I can touch and feel the nail holes in his hands and feet.” The witness of his fellow disciples at this point is not enough.

Well, isn’t that the truth! Unless we see things our way, experience things in our own activity, are actually a part of the event, we are inclined not to believe. We hear reports but that is not enough, We read eye witness stories, but that does not convince. In our time we watch the situations unfold minute by minute, blow by blow, through the services of instant TV. We watch the replays until we are tired of them, But do we believe enough that we actually do something?

This is what is unfolding these past days in our present world. Nearly one million people have been displaced from a tiny area called Gaza. They have been uprooted, forced out because they are not Jews, they are Palestine in ethnic designation. In the reaction to the Iran threat the Trump government policy over the past months, the USA authorities took action, hostile and violent action in the form of bombings.  All sides have locked into position their peculiar viewpoint, set the standards, and made it impossible to back down for fear of losing face. While thousands become diseased, disrupted, destroyed and dead. All this bombards us on the TV, radio and newspaper daily. Eyewitnesses by the hundreds tell their story, and the commentators of the media state that there is no collaboration by independent witnesses. This negates the reality. This puts a different spin on what we have seen. We now hear people saying, “It is not as bad as depicted. Let them alone to sort it out themselves. Do not help for that aids the wrong guys. Do not bring any of these people to Canada, they will want to stay!” That is not what the eyewitnesses are saying. Who are we to believe?

Thomas said, “Let me feel the wounds than I will believe.” Let me feel the wounds suffered by the people of Gaza, suffered by the people of the Sudan, suffered by the people of Ireland, suffered by the people of Paraguay, suffered by Canada’s indigenous people. Then I will believe and do something.

Let me feel the wounds of Jesus, the Risen Jesus, the Christ before me and then I will believe and do something. believe. That will turn me around. That will get me going.

“A week later Jesus’s disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them, and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your fingers here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe!” Thomas answered Jesus, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”

Blessed are we who have not seen Jesus, not touched his wounds, not placed our hand in his side, and can still say, “My Lord and my God.” In so doing we become witnesses to the Resurrection, witnesses to the power of God, witnesses to reality of God in our world. The reality includes the de-humanizing tragedy unfolding before our eyes. To the people damaged and displaced, we must witness God’s love. To the world, God’s world all around us, we are to be the witnesses that tell of God’s love, God’s hope, God’s justice, God’s peace and rest. We are witnesses, witnesses to a new reality. Jesus lives!

“This Jesus God raised up, and of that all of us are witnesses.”

Thanks be to God. Amen!

Fr. Art