Living Resurrected Lives as Good Shepherds

Fourth Sunday of Easter (Year B)

1 John 3.16-24; John 10.11-18

St. Gregory’s, Long Beach

Live Streamed on Parish Facebook page (beginning at 17:55)

 

As of today, we are done with Jesus’ post-resurrection appearances. Through the remainder of Eastertide we focus instead on delving into just what it means to be a post-resurrection people. To be a people who follow the Risen Christ and seek to live resurrected lives. And, of course, as we do every Eastertide, we begin with one of the most well-known and most beloved images of that life. The image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd. This image tells us a lot about who Jesus is, but it also provides a model for how we are to live as those who follow Jesus—to live our own resurrected lives.

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You Are Witnesses to These Things

Third Sunday of Easter (Year B)

Luke 24.36b-48

St. Gregory’s, Long Beach

Live Streamed on Parish Facebook Page (beginning at 18:45)

 

The disciples “were startled and terrified, and thought they were seeing a ghost” (Lk 24.37). It’s no wonder. I mean, Jesus had just died. And it had been a long day and the disciples were still trying to process what had happened the last few days. They were still trying to process what happen today. They had only just found his tomb empty that morning. In Luke’s telling, this is the first encounter the disciples have with the Risen Lord—occurring on the evening of the Day of Resurrection. The women at the tomb do not see the Risen Jesus—they are told by a couple of angels that he has risen. Then on the road to Emmaus, Cleopas and his companion have an encounter with a stranger. But they only realize after the fact that the stranger they had been traveling with was none other than the Risen Christ. When Cleopas and his companion rush back to Jerusalem to inform the other disciples what has happened, they are told “The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!” (Lk 24.34). Even though we have no details of how Jesus appeared to Simon Peter. So, while the Risen Christ appeared to several people, this was the first time that he had appeared to all the disciples at once. And, naturally, they are a little freaked. Even though they knew he had been raised. Even though some of their number had already experienced the Risen Christ. But then again, grief will do that to you. Your whole world is turned upside down, to the point that you can’t think straight. And in this case, how could they think straight? They were devastated by the brutal death of their friend and teacher. And now, he’s appearing to select individuals? That completely defies the understanding of death. No wonder they are freaked.

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A New Reality

Easter Sunday (Year B)

John 20.1-18

St. Gregory’s, Long Beach

Live Streamed on Parish Facebook Page (beginning at 22:10)

 

We generally think of Easter as the end of Lent, the end of Holy Week. But the reality is, Easter is not the end of anything. If anything, it is the beginning of something completely new and unknown. We see this starkly represented by the principal characters in today’s resurrection narrative. But I’m not talking about Jesus. I’m talking about Mary Magdalene, Simon Peter, and the disciple Jesus loved—that would be John. The principal characters who represent us. The characters who each react in very different ways, representing the range of ways in which we can respond to the mystery that is the Resurrection.

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The Family Table

Maundy Thursday

Exodus 12.1-14; 1 Corinthians 11.23-26; John 13.1-17, 31b-35

St. Thomas of Canterbury and St. Gregory’s, Long Beach

Live Streamed on Parish Facebook Page (beginning at 14:50)

 

What is the most sacred place you know?

 

Many will undoubtedly say, “the church, of course.” St. Thomas. St. Gregory’s. Wherever you call your spiritual home. Or maybe a magnificent cathedral you have visited. St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. Canterbury Cathedral. Notre Dame. Some may feel the most sacred place is a special place in the woods. A quiet spot on the beach. A favorite mountaintop vista. There really are no right or wrong answers, no specific criteria.

 

If an extraterrestrial landed in our midst, right here and now, and tried to figure out what the most sacred place was based solely on our scripture readings, they might get the idea that the most sacred place is the family dinner table. While only our Gospel reading specifically mentions a table, all three readings imply a table—involving activities that typically occur at a dining table. In our Old Testament reading from Exodus, God gives instructions to Moses and the Hebrews about preparation for the first Passover meal. Complete with instructions on how it is to be eaten. Now, we don’t know exactly where the Hebrews ate their Passover meal before leaving Egypt on their forty-year journey through the wilderness to the Promised Land. Although, since the passage talks about preparing the designated meal for each family, what typically comes to mind is the image of families gathered at their own dinner tables. Not unlike Passover celebrations in nearly every Jewish home, to this day.

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