Collect for Easter 3
1 Peter 1: 17-23
Luke 24: 13-35
In the ground-breaking 1972 TV series, John Berger’s ‘Ways of seeing’, one sentence speaks out to me. ‘We only see what we look at’.
Over the weeks since Easter, we have read of a number of occasions where people see the resurrected Jesus. One common factor is their initial lack of recognition. Mary thought He was the gardener, and only when He called her by name did she realise who He was – ‘I have seen the Lord!’ she cries out to the apostles. Thomas couldn’t accept resurrection until he saw Jesus’ wounds for himself, and proclaimed Him – ‘My Lord and my God!
On the road to Emmaus, the two disciples walked and talked, but only when He broke bread with them did their eyes open and they realised who had been talking to them on the road, and why their ‘hearts were burning within us’.
Saul of Tarsus had been persecuting Jesus’ followers. It was only when Jesus appeared to Him in person on the Damascus Road that Saul became Paul.
All of these saw His physical body. But Jesus Himself told of those millions upon millions who would believe even though they hadn’t ‘seen’ Him. How can that be? It depends on what you mean by ‘see’.
In each case, Jesus comes to meet them – but only when they ‘look’ can they see Him for who He is. Before that, they had not seen Him ‘with the eyes of their heart’.
He comes to us in so many ways in order that we may see Him.. In creation. In forgiveness. In salvation. In love. In new life. All these free gifts of grace – but it is up to us to choose to see them, with every one of our senses.
As depicted in Holman Hunt’s ‘Light of the World, Jesus comes to us, and waits for us to open the door, recognise and acknowledge Him. He waits for us to ‘look’ – and when we do, we see Him. Our Lord and our God.
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‘…make friends for yourselves by means of dishonest wealth so that when it is gone, they may welcome you into the eternal homes…’
Praying Together 14th September 2025
It didn’t matter what you had been, said or done – like Paul, you were given the chance to repent.
Praying Together 7th September 2025
So, if we truly offer Him everything, does that leave us with nothing? Quite the opposite. When we give our life to Jesus, it includes the bad bits as well as the good bits.
Praying Together 31st August 2025
The heavenly banquet has only one rule of etiquette – That you accept Jesus , the Christ, as Saviour and Redeemer. And then your place and theirs is at the head of His table, alongside Him.
Praying Together 24th August 2025
Salvation does not ever come through religious practice – it comes through Christ, the only sinless one, whose sacrifice is given as a free gift in love, to those who can’t help themselves.
Paying Together 17th August 2025
We ask that our faith is strengthened in the power of the Spirit when it is tested – and that we will have the courage to live as the Body of Christ, who alone offers life.
Praying Together 10th August 2025
And while we think of the things we value most, do we remember that we are of such value to God, that His Son was prepared to go into the flames for us?
Praying Together 27th July 2025
In a word, it is all prayer, a rich sequence, choreographed in different moments of gathering, praise, listening and communion.
Praying Together 20th July 2025
Jesus comes to us in many ways and with many faces. Are we aware we may ‘entertain Angels without knowing it?
Praying Together 13th July 2025
May we never miss meeting your gaze,
in the eyes of our sibling, the stranger.
Praying Together 6th July 2025
Always remember that ‘success’ is simply doing His will – it’s not necessarily achieving the outcome we would ourselves consider to be ‘successful’. Leave that definition with Him.