Readings: Acts 10:34, 37-43; Col.3:1-4; Lk. 24:13-35
The Stranger that
Cares
1. On the day of the resurrection, Mary went to the tomb and did not see the body. She then ran to Peter and reported: “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him.” Peter and John ran to the tomb, equally confused. The younger man, John, outran Peter and got to the tomb first but did not go in. Peter got there later, went in, and noticed the empty tomb. John then went in and saw the burial clothes neatly folded and put aside. He saw and believed. That is the resurrection account as recorded by St John’s Gospel. However, I want to reflect on St. Luke’s account this morning with the theme, The Stranger that cares.
2. Today’s Gospel tells us that when we are in need, are bereaved, or sad, we need a stranger who cares, our community’s support, and the word of God to encourage and strengthen us. It also reprimands us for walking away from the community when we are depressed, sad, disillusioned, disappointed, discouraged, and defeated by unforeseen life circumstances. The community will be there to support and enable us to carry on. The Word of God will always be at hand to assure us that God is real and that He cares, and the Stranger will somehow come around to put things in perspective for us.
3. The feeling of Cleopas, one of the disciples on their way to Emmaus, described how they felt at the death of Jesus. Of course, he remembered when “Jesus told his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly from the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised” (Mt.16:21). He did not quite make out what Christ meant by that. He was still sad and disappointed at his death. Cleopas and his fellow disappointed travelers on the way to Emmaus expressed their frustration when the Stranger asked what they were discussing as they walked along. “They stopped, looking downcast. One of them, Cleopas, said to him in reply “Are you’re the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know of the things that have taken place there in these days?” The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, how our chief priests and rulers both handed him over to a sentence of death and crucified him. But we were hoping that he would be the one to redeem Israel.” (Lk. 24:18-21).
4. When we are sad, perplexed, and disappointed, we often close our minds to the scriptures, turn away from the church, run away from our community, and feel that we are all alone. Usually, we ask why me, Lord? We fall into self-pity and exhibit a complete lack of trust in the person of Christ and, sometimes, in our hopelessness, take to self-destructive practices to escape from our problems. At times like these, we do not often see the Stranger in front of us asking if he could do anything for us. This is the story of the resurrection. Sadness, death, and depression should not, in any way, have the last say in our lives. Even from the darkness of the tomb, the risen Christ is waiting to turn things around for us. Our community, our family, our friends, and our support system are ready to come to our rescue. The word of God is there to point the way, and of course, the Stranger who cares will speak the words that will make our hearts burn within us as we listen to him, and he will lead us to the Eucharist. We will recognize him again at the breaking of the bread, for he told us, ‘Do this in remembrance of him.’
5. The resurrection of Christ reminds us that we are Easter people living in a Good Friday world. Yes, we are still broken, and we are weak. We have anger issues. We are short-tempered, stubborn, jealous, ill-mannered, frustrated. We still experience the worries of this life. But the resurrection of Christ assures us that God loves us and that Christ has conquered our weaknesses and death. Yes, to every Good Friday, there is Easter Sunday. To every failure, there is strength in the risen Lord. Every hurt and wrongdoing we can forgive is proof of the resurrection. When we give in charity, say a kind word, console, or show compassion and mercy, every visit to the sick or kindness showed to the downtrodden attests to the resurrection and our faith in the risen Lord. We may be weak, but the Lord is strong. He is The Stranger who cares. He is Emmanuel, God with us. We are Easter people, so we cannot stop singing alleluia. Paul encourages us: “If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.” (Col. 3:1). Because Christ is alive today, we can see tomorrow. “He will change our lowly body to conform with his glorified body by the power that enables him also to bring all things into subjection to himself.” (Philippians. 3:21).
6. The resurrection changed Peter from being a coward to a fearless preacher. It changed Paul from a persecutor to a missionary. He can also change us if we believe in his resurrection. Jesus showed Thomas his wounded hands and side and healed his disbelief. Let us touch his wounds so that our wounds may be healed. Let us open our eyes to the possibilities that the Stranger who cares brings to our lives. May we not take our community for granted or question the importance of our support system provided by our families, friends, church, and so many people who may care for us even more than our blood relatives. The Stranger in our midst may have gone through his own pains, deprivations, or even death, but he is the wounded healer. Through his wounds, we are healed. He is our resurrection and our life, our Lord and our Savior; He is our Messiah; oh yes, He is the Stranger that cares for us. He came so that we may have life and have it abundantly. Let us rejoice that he who was dead and buried has returned to life. Rejoice, therefore, for Christ is indeed risen. Alleluia!
Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP
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