The experience of the Risen Christ

On a walk yesterday, looking at these large stones on the wayside, my thoughts went to the stones, which were found removed  from the tomb of Jesus of Nazareth on the first day of the week when some women went to the tomb with spices and perfume (Luke 24.1). They found the stone rolled away and when they entered the tomb, the body of Jesus was not there. (v.2,3). What then they encountered was two men standing in dazzling apparel. While they stood  frightened, the  women heard them say, 'He is not here...He has risen' (v.6).

These stones reminded me of the physical return of Jesus of Nazareth from the tomb that was sealed with stones while soldiers kept a watch over it. Jesus appeared to these women (Matt 28:9), Mary, Mary Magdalene, Joanna and other women who were with them (Luke. 24:10), while they were on the way to tell the disciples of Jesus,  about the risen Jesus, whom they met after He had risen.  

The stones cannot contain the purpose and plan of God. The vigilant soldiers could not stop the stones from being rolled away. The severe earthquake, and the angel of the Lord descending to roll away the stone (Mat28:2) were unusual ways to overcome the power of control of human authority. The frozen soldiers to whom the angel of the Lord spoke, said, 'He is not here' needed time to come to their consciousness of the events taking place in their sight!

One moving thought from this scene, was the the spirit of the women to seek for Jesus. The disciples to whom Jesus foretold about this meant and resurrection were fine in tier faith.  That is why when the women told about the apostles about resurrection of Jesus, thier words 'appeared to them as nonsense and they would not believe.' (Luke23:11 Although they went to place spices and perfume on the tomb of Jesus, as it was the custom of the day, their seeking spirit for Jesus strikes me as a genuine inner urge. It is those who search who shall find. In a parable  that Jesus spoke about the woman who lost a coin, she searched till she found!

The search for Jesus of Nazareth continues fervently in the lives of many. The hundreds, who walked carrying wooden cross on their shoulder to the Malyattoor hill top church, during the Holy Week, where St Thomas seems to have had his footprints, is a sight I watched annually with interest and curiosity! I remember talking to a few people, who returned from that pilgrimage. They told me that life is a long search to find Jesus of Nazareth as an experience. I felt encouraged by the desire to have an experience of Jesus in their lives. 

The next part of the walk yesterday was along the beach. I noticed two Silver Gulls waiting for the waves of the water come to the shore and move towards the waves. They moved to and fro a few times. Then they moved towards the dry sand. I wondered whether they we confused and unsettled seeing their to and for movements. 

The passage about two followers of Jesus walking seven miles from Jerusalem to Emmaus during an afternoon, came to me after Jesus had risen (Luke 24:13-35). They were conversing and discussing during the walk about 'The things about Jesus the Nazarene who was a prophet, mighty in deed and word in the sight of God and all the people' (v.19) A stranger joined them who during the walk expanded and explained concerning Jesus and His death and resurrection. Only at meal time, when the stranger took bread, blessed and broke it, their eyes were open to see that it was Jesus who was with them. After Jesus vanished from their sight, the two recalled the conversation with Jesus on the way and said:'Were not our hearts burning within us while He was speaking to us on the road, while He was explaining the Scripture to us?'  

The last two photos of the Silver Gulls had a significant message for me. The subdued birds who were moving up and down with the were now walking back from the beach with some vigour and briskness, as though they were ready for the next flight! Thy seemed to have found the next direction after unsettled for a while. 

That was what happened to the two walkers. They arose that very hour when they experienced the visitation of Jesus and returned to Jerusalem and found the eleven disciples of Jesus gathered together, and announced that Jesus had appeared to them. 

What is this experience of Jesus that people are looking for !

With these thoughts, I was moving towards the path through the hills to the other side. When I turned to have a last look at the beach, I noticed a stationary shipping boat, not too far from the land. I did not notice the movements of the fishermen in or around it. 

That brought back to my memory the passage in the gospel of John 21, a narrative of the disciples about their fishing expedition after the resurrection of Jesus. They toiled through the night and caught no fish (John.21:3). 

What was striking, was how Jesus Jesus stood at the beach at day break(v.4). The disciples did not recognise Jesus, till they heard Jesus talk to them. 'Children, you do not have fish, do you?'. Jesus was ready with breakfast of bread and fish for the disciples when they returned after toiling in the night with no fish caught. This occurred to me as a way the risen Jesus would appear to us! He would surprise us by His unusual and unique way of touching us at the time of our need. 

This experience of the disciples not recognising Jesus gave me some consolation. I would have gone through life on many occasions loosing the sense of presence of Jesus!  Jesus is in   our midst as our tcomanpon. The risen Jesus appeared to those who were waiting to see Him after His resurrection. Thomas who doubted the resurrection of Jesus too had an occasion to see Jesus, whose nail pieced hands he could observe. 

 Looking for Jesus is a life long search for many of us. We experience Jesus, at ordinary times. We might be more ready to experience Him at difficult times. It was when the disciples caught no fish after the toil of the night, they were ready to cast the net again, when Jesus asked them to do so.. When they caught  large collection of fish, they were surprised. 

This seems to be the most striking aspect of the experience the  risen Christ can bring into one's life.

When life is caught in complex situations or in as web of  constraints, the consciousness of the presence of the risen Christ can lead us to sense opportunities and pathways to proceed. The risen Christ found Himself released from the sealed tomb!

The life events which make us feel stifled do not have the final word about our life or our future. 

The risen Christ has the final say on matters that are beyond our control!

I was trapped by an error of judgement when I was going through my qualifying practical examination in my post graduate examination in Paediatrics. When a major slip occurred, usually repeating the examination was  the normal way in those days. At the end of two days  of all the different components of the practical examination, one external examiner told me in the presence of three other examiners, 'come back tomorrow for a long viva. That would decide whether you can compensate for the slip you made'! On the third, day, I was the last to have  the viva exam, which lasted for  one and half hours as against the normal twenty minutes. At the end of that grilling viva, the same examiner told me, 'You stood your ground. We cannot fault you'! Looking back, the longer viva was opening a door, which for all practical purpose, was an unusual gesture of kindness,  as against the normal course  of repeating the examination. For me in 1979, that examination was a vivid experience of sensing the presence of the risen Christ!

The experience of the presence of the risen Christ in our lives can be many, if only we can pause and reflect! 

The risen Christ accompanies us in our journey!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)