Sermon for the third Sunday after Easter- 16th May 2021: Acts 3, 12-19; Luke 24, 36-48.
Fr Leonard Doolan – St Paul’s Athens and on Zoom
From time to time the author of some great TV drama will tell us that she or he has written more than one ending to the story, allowing time to see how the series develops and how people respond to the developing plot. Actors will actually film several endings, and won’t know which one will be used until it is actually screened. This gives the directing team and the author the final word on suspense. In a sense this is what we get with the four gospel writers as they present to us what happens after Jesus walks away from the empty tomb.
Mark’s version is short, and the experience of the women who go to the garden is expressed in powerful words – alarmed, terror, amazement, afraid. In fact ‘afraid’ is the final word in St. Mark’s gospel.
Matthew says little more than Mark, but his gospel ends with words like, direct, worship, go, make disciples, baptize, obey, command. Matthew leaves us in no doubt that the new way of following Jesus is missional – we are sent out – go and baptize. We are given our gospel orders by Matthew.
In a sense, John ends as he begins. He informs us in his first chapter that Word has become flesh and dwells in our midst. It is this same Word that has ‘spoken forth’ from the empty tomb, and he still dwells among us in full physical presence. John has not retreated on his initial convictions. Mary of Magdala is told ‘not to touch’ – Noli me tangere – ‘do not hold on to me’. He stands in the midst of his disciples and shows them the marks of the cross – this is the same me! To Thomas he later says, reach out and touch. Again, he appears by the lakeside and lo and behold he is presiding over a charcoal fire cooking some fish. So for John, the Word has indeed remained flesh and continues to dwell among us, full of grace and truth.
