A Reflection for Easter by Fr. Gareth Ingham
Firstly, I would like to continue to wish you all a very Happy Easter.
The Easter season spans the forty days from Easter Sunday, right through to the eve of the Ascension, this year celebrated on Thursday 9th May. Although we celebrated the Resurrection of Jesus on Easter Day itself, it’s good that we have a little more to dwell and ruminate on the stories and events found in the scriptures.
The Gospel reading this week comes just after Jesus showed himself to two disciples, who had unwittingly travelled with him to the village of Emmaus. After opening the promises of the scriptures to them, and taking, blessing, breaking, and sharing bread; he revealed himself to them – before vanishing from their sight.
A little while later back in Jerusalem with the eleven disciples, they excitedly share with each other their miraculous encounters with the Risen Christ. The Angels appearing to the women at the tomb, Simon seeing the tomb empty and believing, the revelation at the breaking of the bread in Emmaus, and now suddenly…
While they were talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’ They were startled and terrified, and thought that they were seeing a ghost.
But it wasn’t a ghost, it was the Risen Lord.
One thing that I am always surprised about is that the disciples seem to struggle to recognise Jesus. This is despite being with him for three years. Not just following on at a distance but knowing him intimately, becoming his closest companions and friends. Sitting at his feet to hear him teach, present at miraculous healings, being bathed in his glory on mountaintops, and painfully watching him suffer his trials and terrible passion.
The disciples had been with Jesus through all of this. Yet it is when the scriptures are opened, and the bread is taken, blessed, broken, and shared, that they come to know not just the human Jesus – but the divine Incarnate, Crucified, and Risen Word of God. Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour.
It’s heavy stuff, and so it’s good and proper that we have forty days to get used to the idea.
He is Risen, indeed. Alleluia!
Fr. Gareth
Priest in Charge – The Benefice of CRIFTINS with DUDLESTON and WELSH FRANKTON
and The Benefice of PETTON with COCKSHUTT, WELSHAMPTON, and LYNEAL with COLEMERE.
Feature Image: Kolumba_Museum,Emmaus,_Ittenbach(2010-12-04_Sp), PD