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2nd SUNDAY OF EASTER
Our lessons for this Sunday suggest that Easter faith will express itself in a
surprising number of ways. For the Jerusalem community, the powerful faith frees people to
reach down into the depths of their wallets in a fit of generous, sacrificial giving (Acts
4); another lesson views the Easter event in terms of a relationship (1 John 1), and in
the gospel lesson the resurrected Lord brings shalom into troubled and fearful
hearts-along with the power of the Spirit to do God’s work in the world (John 20).
Acts 4:32-35-When Religion Reaches the Wallet
Luke portends astonishing signs and events that the resurrection of Jesus impacts in
ever increasing ways-healings, convicting sermons about the death, burial, and
resurrection of Jesus, forgiveness; even a normal prayer gathering is rendered
extraordinary. Chapter four concludes with yet another astonishing sign-the sharing of
possessions. If true commitment is measured by wallets, then Luke wants us to know how
deep a level of commitment this nascent community has reached. With one heart and mind
they sell property and offer the income to be distributed among the poor and needy among
them. Thus, poverty is addressed through personal inconvenience and the gospel is
proclaimed.
1 John 1:1-2:2-The Ineffable Light of Being
Writing in typical circular fashion as this epistle amply demonstrates, we hear
something of a firsthand, first generation voice; the words purport to come from someone
who has empirically encountered Jesus. The writer’s claim to have personally seen,
heard, and touched Jesus is recalled "so that our / your joy may be complete"
(1:1; 3). The claim that follows this introduction is a familiar one: God is pure
light-for this writer such a statement carries clear ramifications. Claimants to
God’s life who make a career out of stumbling around in moral muck are only fooling
themselves. Walk in the light and confess sins, the writer says and Christ’s blood
sacrifice will atone for us. However, to claim relationship with the God of Light but to
continue in the shadowlands is to live a lie.
John 20:19-31- Empirical Evidence
We have two resurrection stories or more accurately, two parts of the same narrative,
in today’s gospel lesson. In the first, Jesus appears to his disciples and in the
second scene Jesus appears to the disciples plus Thomas. Both resurrection appearances
feature a formalized and ecclesial "peace be with you," and both include the
disciples huddling behind locked doors. The tenor of the narrative/s is one of fearful
disciples, confusion, and exquisite joy. When Jesus appears to the disciples minus Thomas,
he says twice, "Peace be with you;" he commissions them and breathes the Spirit
upon them including the authority to forgive sin. The second appearance seems to have more
to do with sending a polemic to succeeding lately come Thomas’ who would never have
the advantages of empirical evidence, just faith.
