Buechner: Surprise Visits
“Jesus is apt to come, into the very midst of life at its most real and inescapable. Not in a blaze of unearthly light, not in the midst of a sermon, not in the throes of some kind of religious daydream, but . . . at supper time, or walking along a road. This is the element that all the stories about Christ's return to life have in common.. He never approached from on high, but always in the midst, in the midst of people, in the midst of real life and the questions that real life asks.”
Frederick Buechner, originally published in The Magnificent Defeat 1966.
Resurrection Chapel, National Cathedral, Washington DC
Buechner describes how we see Jesus in our lives, in our real lives. We do not necessarily need to go on some great pilgrimage or be in an ancient cathedral. God is all around us in our everydayness. Our ministry as spiritual friends is helping each other see God in our everyday lives.
All of these resurrection stories give us many clues as to where and how to find Jesus. Jesus’s resurrection appearance is a surprise to the disciples on the road to Emmaus, to Mary at the tomb, to the disciples locked in the upper room, to the disciples fishing. It is off of the agenda. Jesus is usually not immediately recognized. Jesus does ordinary things like cooking and eating and walking. Jesus looks like an ordinary person but may do extraordinary things like walking through walls. Jesus still bears his wounds, but they are healed. Jesus feeds us. Jesus calls us by name. Jesus appears to ordinary people. With the exception of Jesus’ appearance to Paul on the road to Damascus, Jesus appears to those who know him. Most importantly, Jesus speaks truth and love and peace.
If you want to know more about resurrection, meditate again on these resurrection stories which we will soon hear again.
Joanna. Joannaseibert.com
2 Opportunities in next 2 weeks to purchase a signed copy of A Daily Spiritual Rx for Lent and Easter
St. Mark's Episcopal Church, Little Rock, Narthex after 8 and 10:30 services on March 3 and March 10
Proceeds from this book go for Hurricane Relief in the Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast