Touch Me

Jesus is risen!


And I love that Luke’s gospel tells us that all of the disciples were afraid… instead of just singling out Thomas!
It is more believable. Because most of us would probably be afraid - most of us would be doubtful -


What you don’t hear in our Gospel passage today, is that the disciples have already claimed, “It is true! The Lord has risen!” But even as they are proclaiming it, they are in shock and disbelief and afraid.


If you notice our Gospel has broken the first sentence in half. -
What proceeds this section is the story of “The Road to Emmaus” in which Jesus meets two disciples on their way, and reveals himself to them in the breaking of the bread.


Afterward, it says,
33 They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together 34 and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” 35 Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread. 36 While they were still talking about this/ While they were still talking about this Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”


They are terrified that he actually appears. All of the disciples are afraid. They think they are seeing a ghost. But Jesus says to them, Don't be afraid. Touch me.




Last week Fr. Mac spoke about our culture's general disbelief in the resurrection, as we fail to believe what we cannot understand - even as science continually demonstrates to us that there is much we cannot understand or see that makes our bodies, our world, and our universe animate. In fact we cannot see or understand most of it! 


Jesus's invitation to "touch me" is a direct call to our humanity.


Among all of the things that God has created "seen and unseen" (as we say in our outline of faith) we as humans know touch as the most intimate way to know - to connect. Scientists and Doctors tell us that Touch is necessary for us to thrive. Jesus says "Touch me." 


Jesus said: ”I have come so that you may have life.
and have it abundantly [to thrive]. " (John 10:10-11)


Jesus brings us his Peace
That is what the resurrection is about - how it animates our lives now.


The resurrection is about power over death… but sometimes we stop there… we fail to continue to move in that direction - into the reality of it. This is not a one time event. It is about life! It is present.


The resurrection is about Thriving. This morning in Acts, Peter refers to Jesus as the “Author of life!”


…This daily concept of an ever-present resurrection written into the fabric of our lives. The Word made flesh…


Resurrection is something that is helpful for us in defining what we are doing - and where we are going - how we participate in “life giving” activities for ourself -and for others.


To remain open to this ever-present reality offers us the Peace that Jesus gives.
We all need peace in our hearts - and peace in our minds. If we are open to this outlook on life - take this stance… then we will thrive.
I don’t mean to “tune out” to have peace. That is not the stance.


We need to remember this gift of Peace and attempt to bring an openness to the turbulence in our lives; in those we love who create grief; And even to those we may consider our enemies.


There is peace in prayer. There is power in prayer - not that we always get the outcome we hope for in a World that offers us so much to worry about… but prayer brings consolation. The hope of the resurrection is around us to glean, if we take this stance.


To know something is to participate in it. 
And at this moment in our Gospel, the Disciples have heard about the resurrection, but they also need time to participate in it. Hence the doubt and fear.


But what they do - do (which is why we are gathered here together today) is to act on it - to live into it; to participate in it through their own embodiment.


Because of them, we come together to touch the “Author of life” each Sunday. Our Eucharistic language refers to this as the holy mystery made known to us in the spiritual food of the Sacrament.


We reenact our union with God and one another each time we do this. What -we- come -to -know about the resurrection is embodied. It becomes very real even as we may not fully understand the mysteries of life.


Those who do not participate in faith community may still wrestle with this "lack of assurance.”
Fear and Doubt is almost always a fallback stance when we are confronted with something we don’t understand, or cannot see, or have not experienced.


...But to know the Love and Peace of God is to participate with God.


We take the stance. As James Finley writes:
To do this, “I will not play the cynic. I will not break faith with my awakened heart. I know… that I am graced by what transcends and permeates every moment of my life.”
                                
The resurrection is embodied through this stance through us. It wasn’t only the mission for the first disciples to claim…


It’s also for us to do…


Why don't we invite those friends and family, the PV community to participate:


to “Touch and See.”


And then they will also know.
Amen.