1 Peter 1:3-9
History and Living
The 40 days of Lent are a period of learning – learning the story, the history if you will,
of Jesus’ travel to Jerusalem where he is tried, humiliated and put to death.
The 50 days of Easter is a period of experience – living with the Resurrected Lord.
Lent is all about Jesus.
Easter is all about The Christ.
Peter attempts to proclaim this in his Pentecost sermon which is begun in today’s First Reading.
“You have heard and maybe even seen yourselves what Jesus of Nazareth did during his life,”
Peter says to the crowd gathered in the Temple courtyard.
Referring to Jesus’ miracles, Peter reminded them of the deeds of power, wonders and signs which Jesus
Jesus healed the sick, the blind and the lame; he turned water into wine and calmed the storms in
Galilee; he even raised Lazarus from the dead.
But they still thought of him as just a man with extraordinary powers.
But things were different now. “This Jesus, God raised up and of that we are all witnesses,”
Peter proclaims at the end of today’s First Reading.
Jesus is now The Christ, the Meshiach, the Messiah, the Lord, yes even God.
The Second Reading for today is written to Christians in Asia Minor who are members of the persecuted minority: slaves and servants; wives of non-Christian husbands;
people who were not the elite of the communities but the cast-off members of society.
It may have been written by an older Apostle Peter now living in Rome.
Or, more likely, it may have been written by a companion of St. Paul, possibly Silvanus.
Most important is the perspective from which it is written.
Unlike the First Reading which happens 50 days after Jesus’ resurrection or the Gospel Reading which happens only a week after, this reading is written most likely decades after the events of Holy Week.
The Easter event is now an Easter life.
“By God’s great mercy, we have been given new birth into a living hopethrough Jesus’ resurrection,”
the reading proclaims.
We have been given an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven.
We are being protected by God through our faith so that even though we experience
various trials to our faith, the genuineness of our faith – which is more precious than gold –
finds us loving God even though we do not see God.
2000 years later, we are still people who live this faith.
The reason I have taken the time to talk about these first two readings today is that for the remainder
of this Easter season, every First Reading will be from the Acts of the Apostles and every
Second Reading will be from First Peter;
both readings each week giving us evidence of the experiences of the early Church
living in the glory of the Resurrection.
Now, the Gospel reading for today is probably one familiar to most of you.
Most of us probably refer to it as the story of Doubting Thomas.
But I would like you to put yourself into this Easter story.
Imagine yourself there with the disciples locked away in that room.
It’s still Easter Sunday.
Mary Magdalene first comes to the group to say Jesus is missing from the tomb.
Peter, James and John have that race to the tomb to find it empty.
Mary Magdalene returns to say she has seen Jesus.
But you haven’t seen him yet.
Afraid that the Jewish leaders may be looking for you; afraid that they might want to hunt down Jesus'
followers – maybe they have heard about the empty tomb and thought you stole the body
to proclaim a resurrection which didn’t really happen;
afraid the Romans might get involved with the hunt;
possibly even afraid of Jesus – after all, Peter denied him 3 times, all of you ran away in the garden and only John showed up at the crucifixion – you might be ashamed of your behavior;
you have locked yourselves up in a room.
In the midst of all that fear and worry, Jesus just comes and stands among you to say,
“Shalom alaichem; peace be with you.”
And, so that you know this is not a ghost or a trick, Jesus shows you his wounded hands and side.
It is really Jesus.
Once again, Jesus looks at each one of you and says, “Shalom alaichem; peace be with you.
As the Father sent me, so I send you.”
He breathes on you and says, “Receive the Holy Spirit, the breath of God, the breath which was present
at the Creation. If you forgive the sins which come from un-belief, they are forgiven by God.”
And he is gone.
Putting yourself in that room, you must come to realize that
even seeing the Risen Christ with your own eyes, there is still room for doubt.
I’m sure there have been experiences you’ve had which you later try to explain to someone that only lead
you to second guess your own experience.
Is it a wonder then, that when the disciples told Thomas, “we have seen the Lord,”Thomas wanted his own proof?
And when, a week later, Thomas is invited by Jesus to put his hands in Jesus’ wounds,
Thomas doesn’t move in to touch; Thomas just makes probably the most complete proclamation of faith
any of the disciples has ever made,
“My Lord and my God!”
John ends not just this story but his entire Gospel with these words:
“Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”
“These words are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God,
and that through believing you may have life in his name.”
That’s what the 50 days of Easter are all about.
For these 50 days, I beg you, experience life as though you have been resurrected from
all worry; all sin; all doubt.
Once you needed history. Now you have life.
Once you needed to see or hear or touch some proof to believe.
Now faith has become a part of your very being.
That’s why we sprinkle with the waters of Baptism each Sunday during this Easter season.
As each drop of water falls on your skin faith enters your very cells and your life is resurrected.
As you make the sign of the Cross, your touch is the touch of the Holy Spirit who breathes new life
into your lungs.
As you eat the bread and wine of Holy Communion, your life is enriched and strengthened;
bread and wine become the Real Presence of the Risen One.
Lent was all about history and facts.
Easter is all about experiencing life.
Live the Easter life.
Live the life of faith.
Live the life that gives new life to those who cross your path each day.
What a miracle!
What a miracle you have become!
Shalom alaichem; peace be with you. As the Father sent me, even so I send you