by Fr. Tommy Lane
Jesus looked different after his resurrection. It happened a number of times that Jesus was with people after his resurrection, but they didn’t recognize him for some time. In our Gospel tonight (Luke 24:1-12), we heard about two angels appearing to the women in Jesus’ tomb on Easter Sunday morning. Later that morning, we read in John’s Gospel, that Jesus himself appeared to Mary Magdalene but at first, she thought Jesus was a gardener (John 20:15). Jesus must have looked very different in his glorified body after his resurrection. Again, later in John’s Gospel we read that seven disciples went fishing on the Sea of Galilee some time after Jesus’ resurrection. Jesus stood on the shore, but they didn’t realize it was Jesus (John 21:5). After Jesus told them where to throw the net for a catch of fish, the beloved disciple knew it was Jesus (John 21:7). On Easter Sunday evening, two disciples left Jerusalem to go to Emmaus and Jesus joined them on their journey, but they didn’t recognize him until the breaking of the bread when they stopped on their journey. Certainly, Jesus must have looked very different after his resurrection. Luke doesn’t say that Jesus went away when the two disciples on the road to Emmaus recognized him at the breaking of the bread. In Luke’s Greek, he simply says that Jesus became invisible to them. Luke wants us to understand that Jesus was still with them but invisible to them. Also on Easter Sunday evening, in John’s Gospel we read that Jesus appeared in the room where the disciples were. They had the doors locked because they were afraid, but Jesus came in and stood among them (John 20:19).
Jesus is not in the tomb in Jerusalem, and he can come into your house even though you have your doors locked. Make space for Jesus in your life, in your day, and he will come into your house with your doors locked. It happened a number of times that Jesus was with people after his resurrection, but they didn’t recognize him for some time. Pray to Jesus every day that you may recognize him more in your home. You can pray in your own words, in your own way, but the important thing is to give Jesus time and space to come into your house every day even though you also have your doors locked. Although invisible, he will be with you just as he was invisible but present with the two disciples on the road to Emmaus after the breaking of the bread. Above all, of course, like the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, we meet Jesus here in the Eucharist.
We receive the new life of Jesus at baptism and his promise of resurrection and eternal life. That is why there is a strong baptismal undertone to our liturgy tonight even though we have no baptism tonight and why we will renew our baptismal promises soon. But people can get knocked down going through life and so not only through his resurrection on Easter Sunday, but all during his ministry, Jesus, in various ways, was teaching about new life because Jesus wants people to have the fullness of life with him now. The Good Samaritan helped the man left for dead on the side of the road to find new life in the inn where he was looked after. The prodigal son was figuratively dead with the pigs in the parable of the prodigal son and he came to that realization and returned home to life. The woman whom the Pharisees and scribes were threatening to stone found new life when Jesus told her he did not condemn her but that she was not to sin again. So, resurrection is not just for the next life. The new life of Jesus is for this life, for now. The risen Jesus wants to be with you now, in your house, though invisible. If in any way we are left for dead by the side of the road, Jesus wants us healed in the inn. If we are in any way with the pigs, Jesus wants us to come to life at home. If scribes and Pharisees are about to stone us, Jesus wants us to be free and move on.
Jesus’ promise to you of eternal life and resurrection because of your baptism is not just for the next life. Jesus wants you to have the fullness of life with him now. Jesus wants to come into your house with your doors locked and be there with you invisibly. It happened a number of times that Jesus was with people after his resurrection, but they didn’t recognize him for some time. Pray to Jesus every day that you may recognize him more in your home. Give Jesus time and space in your life, in your day, in your home every day.
© Fr. Tommy Lane 2022
This homily was delivered in a parish in Ireland.
More Homilies for the Easter Vigil
Roll Away the Stone and Meet the Risen Jesus
Christ is Risen! The Night is as clear as Day! 2011
You Will Meet the Risen Jesus in Galilee in Your Everyday Life
Jesus Risen is the Light of the World 2008
Related Homilies: Jesus Did Rise on Easter Sunday! 2021
stories about the next life and death