The Sauntering Pilgrim

I’m not sure the resurrection appearances of Jesus are all that helpful. It’s not that they’re unimportant; on the contrary, they’re central to Christian faith. But sometimes they pull us into such a rarefied frame of mind that we risk losing touch with what the resurrection is about. The mythical giant Antaeus was invincible as long as he remained in contact with his mother, the earth. Hercules was able to defeat him by raising him off the ground so Antaeus lost contact with the source of his strength. We need to be brought down to earth, and today’s gospel reading does that for us (Luke 24:36b-48).

The appearance Luke describes begins with a terrifying experience: Jesus appears, and his disciples believe they’ve seen a ghost. They’re so frightened and filled with doubt, Jesus has to talk them down. So he appeals to their powers of observation and reason, and their fear and doubt gradually turn into joy and wonder. They may still be riding an emotional tsunami, but it turns into one of light and not of darkness.

The change occurs when Jesus asks them simply, “You got anything to eat?” (v. 41). Theology and reason and elevated emotions give way to one of the most basic human needs, the need for physical nourishment. It’s time to get out of the head and into the belly; it’s time to step out of the theoretical and into the practical; it’s time for supper.

The glory of resurrection and a life to come can so fill our imaginations and our hearts that we forget where we are. We can grow impatient living the life we have and get ahead of ourselves anticipating a life in the future. But everything Jesus taught by word and example was about this life, about God’s intimate and abiding presence in this life, and about the perfect reign of God that is spread all around us, unseen, in this life, waiting to be lived here.

Abundant life, more and better life than we ever dreamed of having, is what Jesus came to offer (John 10:10), and he told us it’s now or never (Luke 14:15-24). He told us our worth as his disciples will be judged by how we care for the basic needs of people in this life. When we see people hungry, do we feed them? When we see them thirsty, do we give them something to drink? Do we welcome the stranger, clothe the naked, visit those who are sick or in prison? In the most basic ways, do we take care of the people we share life with?

On Palm Sunday, I asked the members of Grace Church to respond to three questions, and I ask the same questions of members of Good Shepherd today. They’re questions that get close to the heart of every human being, and I believe living with those questions and wrestling with our responses to them brings us closer to the heart of our relationship with God and with every one of our neighbors.

The questions are these: What is your greatest need? What is your greatest hope? What is your most urgent question? Take a moment and write down your answers to those questions, and share your answers with me. Living with those questions and exploring our answers deeply may be one of the best things we can do to deepen our faith. ▪