Last night we discussed that the turning point for the disciples came when they encountered the presence of the resurrected Lord. It was the resurrected Jesus who took the initiative to come to them to open their eyes to a new reality, to new possibilities because of that reality, and so brought them a hope that went beyond the endings of the past. This calls us to that encounter with the presence of the risen Christ today. There are many ways that we could define how that encounter should or ought to occur. Perhaps
how is not so important as proclaiming the possibility of the encounter that brings healing and wholeness, and hope. To meet the risen Lord is as much a possibility now as it was for the disciples or for Paul. It is not something that people in despair and hopelessness can muster enough faith to do. But part of our task as modern disciples is to proclaim to hopeless people the reality that Jesus is already seeking that encounter, and therefore that hope is alive!
The Voice, Christian Resource Institute, Third Sunday of Easter April 22, 2012
I remember a CC parishioner once telling me that he had one encounter/experience of God--one in 84 years. He proclaimed "that one has lasted me a life-time." Once life-time, or even daily encounters/experiences of the risen Christ give us not so much "hope" as "confidence" that we've found what we're looking for. What's left is to daily discover the mystery and grace of what we have already found. Experience is what we claim. Deeper awareness of grace in every aspect of life is what we discover. Alleluia!
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