March 30, 2008
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Easter II, Year A
Propers for the same
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Timothy E. Kimbrough
Church of the Holy Family
“I may say to you confidently of our ancestor David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Since he was a prophet, he knew that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would put one of his descendants on his throne. Foreseeing this, David spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, saying ,
`He was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh experience corruption.'
This Jesus God raised up, and of that all of us are witnesses." (Acts 2:31-32)
I recognize that sociologists are telling us that our attention spans are getting shorter and shorter…nevertheless think back to just several seconds ago. What do remember about the gospel lesson just read? If you remember anything at all—you are probably picturing St. Thomas standing there sticking his fingers in Jesus’ hands, feet, and side. Yes, it’s this wonderful doubting/believing Thomas story that encourages us to take heart and embrace the risen Jesus Christ despite our historical distance from the event. Indeed some biblical scholars maintain that this particular story is specifically preserved in order to encourage the emerging third generation of Christians who were beginning to lose contact with the remaining eyewitnesses to the Christ-event. It’s an important story. It’s one that we too need to remember—not simply for the encouragement it offers but for the extraordinary challenge!
If there is any detail that you remember it is likely entwined in the storyline surrounding the figure of Thomas (the disciple who confesses faith in Jesus as his Lord and his God like no other disciple). His confession of faith here rivals that of St. Peter. The figure he presents here is so compelling that we are inclined to overlook the teaching in the first half of the passage. And it is the first half of the passage that tells us—the Church—of our birthright and inheritance.
Chronologically, we pick up where we left off last Sunday. It is the night of Easter Day. After having revealed himself to Mary and telling her that he is about to ascend to the Father (unique to John), Jesus appears to the disciples, pronounces his Peace, breathes the Holy Spirit on them and then sends them into the world with the Gospel message empowered in the name of God to forgive and retain sins. This is the story of our birth as a Church. Weeks from now we will hear this story again on Pentecost Sunday, only then read from a different perspective—that of the Luke/Acts writer.
The two different accounts of the birth of the Church might challenge those who depend on harmony and consistency among the stories of Scripture to secure its authority. John seems to imply that Jesus rises from the dead, appears to his disciples, gives them the Holy Spirit, commissions them, and then ascends to the Father—all on the same day, the day of resurrection. While the tradition according to the gospel of Luke (and the one that our Liturgical Year embraces) seems to indicate that a number of weeks pass between the resurrection, ascension, and the giving of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. These chronologies cannot be harmonized. What seems inconsistent to the observer outside the tradition, however, is an occasion for celebration for the person of faith. Seeing with the eyes of faith you and I are able rejoice in the variety of faith perspectives and the richness of God’s grace preserved for us in the biblical narrative. Some from within the tradition might suggest that the variance in chronologies bespeaks mythological content. But to do so is to fall prey (ironically) to the temptation that would have the authority of Scripture depend on its so-called inerrancy. To hold these chronologies in tension never losing sight of the point of the story is to maintain a healthy respect for the authority of Scripture without forfeiting the witness of the tradition, and the revelation of God manifest in the development of the canon of Scripture (as presided over by the Holy Spirit). Moreover, our birthright is at stake in this reading and not the Evangelist’s grasp of chronological order.
If peace and the absolution of sin (reconciliation to God) are Christ’s last will and testament then in a very real sense we, the Church, are named executors of that will. We have been given the responsibility of dispensing, guarding, and nurturing that peace and the absolution of sin. Jesus says to his disciples, “As the Father sent me, so am I sending you.” Now there are some tough shoes to fill! Our presence in the world is the presence of Christ and we are empowered to be that presence by means of the Holy Spirit.
People talk about meeting God on top of a mountain, at the beach, on a lake, at sea, in the midst of a storm, at the birth of a child, or at the death of a loved one. That may be. But such a meeting is at best arbitrary and occasional. God charged his Church to be his presence and instituted his Sacraments that we might find some measure of assurance in them. God is there in Baptism. The Body and Blood of the bread and wine are God ’s and we can know we have come into God’s presence—into God’s peace when we receive them. The sacramental rites of the Church offer an assurance that is derivative of the two Great Sacraments—God is there in confirmation when the strength of the Holy Spirit is prayed over the confessing Christian. God is there in the reconciliation of a penitent as sins are forgiven. God is there in marriage as husband wife take life-long vows and pledge their fidelity to one another. God is there in ordination as the baptized under God set aside ministers to orchestrate the life of the Body. God is there as the sick are anointed and healing is prayed for. The assurance of God’s presence in the sacramental life of the Christian—this is the inheritance of the Church.
What an awesome responsibility we have! What a joyous responsibility we command! Every time we make Eucharist, we proclaim God’s peace and his desire to be reconciled to the world. Every time we exclaim, “Thanks be to God” at the dismissal we prepare to be the Body and Blood of our Lord for the world. Just as Jesus nourishes us with his Body, so we become his Body, his Sacrament to the world—vessels of peace, icons of grace.
Have you ever thought of your life as being Sacrament? Have you ever thought of your body as a vessel of God’s peace? …an icon of God’s grace? What the world knows of peace they know by your life. What they know of grace they know by your life. What the world has learned of Christ they have learned by your life and what they have forgotten or never learned of Christ, they have forgotten or never learned by your life. You are the Church, the Body of Christ, the sacrament of his presence in the world !
Someone will say that this point is being over-stated or perhaps over-emphasized. But if ever there were a time when our world needed to hear the words of our Risen Lord, “Peace be with you,” it is now. Ask the residents of Iraq, do you know this peace. Ask the residents of Iran, of Israel and Palestine, do you know this peace. Ask the Albanian citizens of Kosovo, Macedonia, and Montenegro…do you know this peace? Ask the citizens of Tibet, do you know this peace. The violence experienced by the many in these countries and violence of our inner cities is not born solely of poor leadership, or of too many hours pursuing entertaining, or of a poor up-bringing, or even of rank economic disparity. No. It is primeval. It is of a distorted Eden and has as its only remedy the peace of Christ. The case for peace can never be overstated. The case for peace can never be overemphasized.
So this afternoon when you go home, resist the temptation to leave the story between the covers of the Gospel book. Instead pull out your Bible and turn to this morning’s gospel lesson. Take consolation in the power of the storyline that reveals an extraordinary confession of faith from Thomas’ initial doubt. But don’t forget to rejoice in the gift of the Holy Spirit and birthright that the Risen Jesus Christ has bestowed on his Church. To see the Church and thus your life as a sacrament of Christ’s presence in the world cannot help but turn your priorities upside down. You must always speak for this peace. You must always stand for this peace. You must never forget that you are called to be witnesses of this peace in the resurrection and ambassadors for the Kingdom of God. Come, Holy Spirit come—make me that peace…make me that Love for which my Lord died and rose from the grave.
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