Open the Eyes of Our Faith

April 25, 2004 (Third Sunday of Easter)

  by The Rev. Linda Yeager, Deacon

- Acts 9:1-19a
- Psalm 33 or 33:1-11
- Revelation 5:6-14
- John 21:1-14

(From The Lectionary Page)

Do you remember the eyes of Dr. T. J. Eckleburg? If you were required to read The Great Gatsby when you were in high school, you probably know of whom I speak. F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic story of appearances is full of symbols, one of which is the billboard advertising the services of Dr. T. J. Eckleburg, optometrist. The billboard features a large pair of eyes, symbolizing to the reader that all that is happening in this novel is based on appearances, that Daisy and Tom and Gatsby and company are blind to the reality of their lives. There's a lot of that going on, isn't there? And seeing -- having our eyes opened -- is the theme of today's scripture.

The familiar story of Saul's dramatic experience with Christ on the road to Damascus clearly demonstrates, ironically, having one's eyes opened. Saul, fresh from the persecution of Stephen, was doing what he believed was his job -- finding those who belonged to the Way and taking them back to Jerusalem to be punished for following Jesus. It was in the midst of these efforts that he encountered Jesus and was struck blind. Ananias was chosen by the Lord to lay his hands on Saul so that Saul could see, could really see And it was with new eyes that Saul saw the world and was baptized.

In today's gospel reading, the disciples also have their eyes opened, they see with new eyes. In this last chapter of John, which many believed was added to the gospel at a later date, the disciples have returned to their everyday lives. They were fishermen and so that is what they are doing -- fishing.  It was in the workplace that they encountered their risen Lord. It was very early in the morning, and they had been fishing all night. They, unfortunately, had caught nothing. Their nets were empty. In the dim light of sunrise, they could see someone on the beach, someone who advised them to cast the net on the other side of the boat.

Following the stranger's advice, they caught a plethora of fish. Then Peter recognized Jesus; the disciples came onto land and Jesus fed them.

In both scripture passages, the individuals meet Christ and their eyes are opened. What happens to them next? Well, in the case of Saul, we know that he goes on to spread the good news of Christ and to establish churches throughout the known world. In the case of the disciples, they, too, spread the word of Christ's life, death and resurrection to all whom they encountered.

Once they recognized Christ and accepted the great love that he had for them, their eyes were opened and they responded by serving Christ and proclaiming the good news.

One of the problems with daily life is that it becomes very routine and often we fail to see what is really happening. We look at our lives and find our daily tasks less than sacred. We keep our spiritual selves alive for Sunday or perhaps for times with those whom we love most. "A new commandment I give you," Christ told the disciples, "that you love one another as I have loved you."  That means everyone, even those that we encounter in the everyday part of life, even in the workplace, from the co-worker who is a constant complainer to the one who is never on time to the boss who treats us unfairly.

We sometimes see the appearance of things only. For example, have you ever encountered a rude clerk or surly checker? Irritating, isn't it? We have two responses, of course: one is to become crotchety ourselves; the other is to imagine that this person may have had a really bad day and a kind word is all that is needed to lighten his or her mood.

When our son was barely sixteen and new to the driving world, he had a wreck.  It wasn't strictly his fault, but as I viewed the wreckage, I thought that a defensive driver might have avoided the accident. Since he wasn't injured, I was free to be angry. For some reason, I remained quiet at the accident scene and even in the car ride home. Once inside the house, I was all set to begin the "if-only-you-had-been-paying-better-attention" lecture. It was at that moment that he looked at me and said, "Help me, Mom." And I opened my arms and held him as he allowed himself to feel the pain. I finally opened my eyes and ears and saw his suffering.

Jesus appeared to Saul and to the disciples as they went about their daily lives. But how can we find Jesus in our workplace, in our everyday, routine existence? I have enough trouble, we say, keeping up with the job to think about church! I'll be nice to them when they're nice to me! I'll let down and be Christian when I get home with my family. I have to be tough on the job or people will take advantage of me. You should work where I do, then you would understand.

But Jesus came to them where they worked. The RISEN Christ came to the disciples while they were at their daily tasks. He came to them and he gave them advice. He came to them and offered his help. He came to them and gave them nourishment.

And he will come to us if we watch and listen for him. He will come to us at work in an office, in a restaurant, on a job sight, in school, in the hospital, at home. And once we have our ears and eyes open, THEN we will hear and see Him. We will hear him in our hearts. And we will see him in the faces of all those whom we encounter.

But we won't recognize him if we are not watching for him. We won't hear him or see him if we are consumed by the tasks of the day. We have to look for Christ or we won't experience him. It is our responsibility to open ourselves to Christ's love for us, and when we do, the rest comes naturally. Once we sincerely allow Christ to be with us in our daily lives, he moves in permanently.  Once we remember to look for Christ in every face we see, it becomes easier to love one another. No, it doesn't mean that we like all the hassles and disappointments that we meet. But we don't deal with the problems alone because we have the constant companionship of Christ.

The gospel story speaks of the reality of the Risen Christ and the reality of his presence in our lives. He was not a spirit to those fishermen. A spirit would not be likely to build a charcoal fire on the seashore. A vision would not be likely to cook a meal and to share it. And yet in this story the Risen Christ does. This story makes very clear the reality of the resurrection.  The Risen Lord was not a vision nor the figment of someone's excited imagination, nor the appearance of a spirit or a ghost; it was Jesus who had conquered death and come back. He came back and promised us that he would be with us always. And I don't think that he meant only on Sundays in church. Or that he would be with us only when we are with our loved ones. Or that he would be with us only in sorrow or pain. I think that he meant that he would be with us when the computer breaks down, when our feet hurt from standing on them all day, when we lose our temper with a co-worker, when we have to stay late ANOTHER night, when the house needs cleaning and there's no one else to do it, when the yard needs mowing AGAIN already, when we hit every single red light and we're late already, when there's nowhere to get away from it all and be alone.

In the midst of every single repetitive moment, every frustrating moment, every boring moment, every depressing moment, he is there. Sometimes it's harder than others to recognize him. Sometimes he appears dim or at a distance.  That's when we really have to concentrate, to peer through the haze, to ask for his help. Because he is there. And if we are constantly on the lookout for him, we will see him and we will hear him.

He is with us always, just as he promised.