God in His mercy sent Jesus, God the Son, to once and for all pay the price for sin for all time and eternity. Yet, I am just amazed, given the overwhelming evidence of Jesus as Messiah, that he is not recognized as Savior by the majority of the world. We are blessed in that we can see and celebrate the completed work of Salvation.The Old Testament prophets recognized him.
The prophet Micah reveals that Bethlehem would be the birthplace of the Messiah, about 700 hundred years before he was born there. Or, how about the prophet Isaiah; he reveals that the Messiah would be born of a Virgin, that he would minister in Galilee, that he would be tortured and killed as a “guilt offering” for the sins of mankind. The Prophet Isaiah also wrote that the Messiah would not remain in the grave but that he would rise again, and “prolong his days.”
But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people? And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth. Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
(Isaiah 53:5- 10)
The disciples on the road to Emmaus didn't recognize the risen Jesus, as he walked along with them and explained to them all of the things that happened in Jerusalem those previous days.
Mary Magdalene didn't recognize him when he was standing right in front of her until he spoke her name.
Cleophas and the other disciple (who I like to think was Mrs. Cleophas) didn't recognize him until they invited him into their home and he sat down with them at table, took bread, broke it, and gave it to them. They recognized him, says St. Luke, in the "breaking of the bread." (Luke 24:35).
That anti-Christian persecutor, Saul, didn't recognize the risen Lord either - until he was knocked off his high horse. "Who are you Lord?" ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting’” (Acts 9:5). It was the presence of the risen Lord appearing to Saul that transforming and converting him, that made him St. Paul.
So how do we recognize Him? We encounter the risen Lord, the Messiah, in many ways. He is with us in our midst. Recognize him in the Eucharist, in the breaking of the bread. Recognize him in his word in the Sacred Scriptures as he speaks to you. And recognize him in one another in your community of believers because here he dwells in the midst of his Church. This is what we celebrate. This is what makes us an Easter People, we recognize Jesus, and we fall on our face and worship him.
“And he said to them, do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen; He is not here." (Mark 16:6)
Today, Easter Sunday is so much more than a commemoration of a past event. It is a celebration of an event that is happening in our midst now. Look around you and see. The Lord is truly risen. He is risen indeed. He is with us all days until the end of the world!
Be Blessed,
Bishop Ian
