The Face of Resurrection

I'm Starting With The Man InThe Mirror, I'm Asking Him To Change His Ways And No Message Could Have Been Any Clearer...If You Wanna Make The World a Better Place...
Take A Look At Yourself, And Then Make A Change. -Michael Jackson

Do you you know what a resurrected man looks like? Interestingly enough, I have been talking this past week to my young friends about what in fact happens AFTER Jesus is raised. It is interesting in the way that we spend so much time on the pre-Easter story... the build up of Jesus' ministry, His Passion, and cruxifiction and finally, the empty Tomb. We rejoice in all its' mystery, wonder and meaning. Some take this story as "Gospel" if you will. In fact the very cornserstone of our faith, others a parable, or moreover a metaphor, for a changed existence.
(For the good!)

The Gospel of John this week in Acts speaks of a doubting man that knew Jesus prior to his violent death. We are not sure why Thomas is missing from the 1st appearance of Jesus in the room upstairs. We do know though that Thomas is unbelieving in the remaining 10's story of a risen Lord. He has not been faced with looking at a Resurrected man.

Hell, are any of us???

I am often regarded as a teacher who preaches aboves the heads of my charges about such events. I have fortuneatly been blessed, "charged", with a gift of bringing such abstract and heady principles to the hearts and minds of the young. Although, the resurecction has its moments of sincerity and true meaning... regardless, it is still hard to relate to small children... "Yeah, Jesus died and then he came back to life again 3 days later!" (Which is ususally followed up by a question like... "Well I waited 3 days Miss Dawn for my Mimi to come back and she hasn't!" (Ugh.)

I am grateful that I am not alone in this charge of relating such material to the young! Our school chaplain this past week asked immediately in his intro to his Homily... "So boys and girls what does it mean to be resurrected?" I was pleased and proud to watch my 5 year olds jump all over this line of questioning, but even more so that the priest told of his concerns for not knowing "exactly" what that meant either!!

I chose that Michael Jackson piece as my intro into this blog... it struck me that those words are very much related to what a resurrected person looks like given a mirror!

Its rather curious and obvious simulataneously that NO ONE can actually SEE the resurrected Jesus!! (At first). We first recognize this concept at that tomb. A weeping Mary Magdalene on that 1st Easter does not "see" her Master. She thinks she sees a gardner hired to take care of the grounds. She asks, "Where have you taken my Lord?" And then she hears.. "Mary... Mary..." She drops to her knees upon "hearing" her name spoken by the risen Christ. How many times have you not seen but been called?? Equally, the Disciples do not believe M2 when she appraoches them with this news. They think she is imagining something she wants to be real. Then Christ appears to them and speaks, "Peace be with you." They are elated and stunned that Jesus is in fact the same, but new. On the Road to Emmaus, two of Jesus' followers are walking to the next village directly following that tumultous weekend and they are discussing the horrid events. They are joined on the walk by Jesus... whom, as I tell children, "Is in His Resurrection Costume," and is unable to be recognized. (By those not willing to believe yet). It is not until Jesus is invited to stay the night and share a meal with this "stranger" that the 2 are called to recognize Jeus in his actions fo reaching out to help a stranger. Jesus then Breaks the Bread and passes it to them... they realize or recognize the face of a resurrected Christ!

Our friend Thomas today when doubting the remaining 10 says.. "Unless I can touch His side and place my fingers in his nail markings will I believe." And surely, Jesus gives Thomas the fulfillment of his desire by appearing and inviting Thomas to believe through touch. Thomas immediately knows and drops only to say "My Lord and God." Jesus, states..." Thomas, You have touched and therefore you believe, Blessed are those that need not and still do!" I tell the children that is all of us!

(Although ironically, The exception is the child in my Passion Play this year who played Jesus, I come to find out is really my Thomas!")

What does a resurrected face look like? I always tell the children when Christ is risen and returns that he is glowing in a light we can't seem to see. It is a light of purity and goodness, selflessness and grace. I do believe we catch glimpses of it when the time is right for us to see, touch, taste or hear God's Good News.

Some see resurrection when they look at a new born baby, (perhaps at our Christmas baby), or a couple marrying, (much like I did this past Firday when Princess Diana's son married that beautiful girl). Others see it when a truly miraculous hope was fulfilled... a cure from cancer, an extension of time on a dream, something that was lost is found such as a Prodigal Son returning to his Father. I often see it when I have driven home an educational homerun.. a concept now received and understood! Regardless, it is a transformation that couldn't be witnessed prior because of our human obstruction to it. It is amazing when we can see all wonder finally! When we remove the fears, and the doubts... the anger and pain to see what has already been made new for us. And a newness that will transform us to never be the same again.

Michael Jackson sings of a man, himself, recognizing that this world in all it's hurts and despair can be changed. Many of us cannot see that... much like the way we could not see the risen Christ. But MJ was a visionary. He truly believed and grieved over the hopelessness that others feel. We know many men such as this, Martin Luther King, Abraham Lincoln, Nelson Mandala, I could go on.

One day you may wake and go to your mirror when you are ready to face the resurrected Jesus, take a look at yourself and make that change... make this world a better place.
But as the lyrics say... It must start with you!

Jesus did not ask the others to go with him that Good Friday,
(Or as my friends say.. "Sad Friday").
He went before us. He didn't ask the others to go and make the sacrifices before him... he began with himself. He did as the Father asked Him to do. And in the words of Catherine of Sienna, "He set the world a fire".

What face will you see the next time you stand before your mirror? Or on the Road to Emmaus? Your classroom? The streets of Newport? Take a good look at and be prepared to be graced with a Resurrected Jesus!

Happy Easter,
Miss Dawn