Eastertide 2021: Christ Abides

The two disciples had been through hell. Their teacher and friend had been arrested in the middle of the night, sent to a kangaroo court, brutalized and executed by the state. They had thought he had been sent by God… but apparently not. Confused and depressed, the disciples did the only thing they could: go home. But as they walked Emmaus they encountered a strange man, apparently oblivious to the news of the day. They shared with him the painful events of the weekend, and invited him to dinner. It was then, unbelievably, that the two of them encountered the Risen Christ once more.

What do we do with this kind of story? Is it limited to the world of Luke chapter 24? Does Christ really show up on our roads today?

For some, such stories are myths at best, or illusions at worst. Yet, one doesn’t have to look long before one finds new stories of Christ’s presence—within our families, workplaces, or pews. Whether dramatic or mundane, these stories somehow resonate for those who experienced them, a feeling that the Risen Christ has reached toward us and is abiding with us.

This Easter, as we retell the stories of the resurrected Jesus, we will be hearing these abiding stories from throughout our own community. They may be moments of acute connection, moments of feeling profoundly ministered to, or even the story of an entire lifetime—but in each case these stories point to a Christ who is in our here and now.