“Open the eyes of our faith, that we may behold [Christ Jesus] in all his redeeming work,” we pray in our collect for today. The Easter season calls us to recognize, accept, and celebrate all Christ’s redeeming work on our behalf. Has it become real for you yet?

Just days after Christ’s ascension, in our first lesson for today, we hear from Peter who is testifying to the crowd in Jerusalem. He proclaims that the forgiveness of sin and the gift of the Holy Spirit to continue God’s sanctifying work in our lives is the result of Christ’s redemptive activity in the world. Our second lesson, taken from the much later epistle to the Petrine community, speaks of Christ’s sacrifice as a ransom for us from the “futile ways” of the world, what must have been the experience of the psalmist when he gratefully acknowledged to the Lord, “you have freed me from my bonds.” It also speaks of his resurrection as the basis of our trust that we “have been born anew,…of imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God.” When we come to know and can accept that “living and enduring Word of God” as Christ Jesus at work in our lives this day and every day, it is cause for celebration.

Like so many of us, the couple on the way to Emmaus in our gospel lesson was slow to have their eyes opened to the reality of Christ’s presence. They told the stranger who was walking with them that they had hoped Jesus would be the one to redeem then, not recognizing that redemptive work had been accomplished for them (and for us) on the cross. For them it was Jesus’ breaking of the bread that opened the eyes of their faith ; for Mary Magdalene it was Jesus’ calling her by name; for Thomas it was Jesus’ reaching out his nail-scarred hand; for Paul it was the Damascus Road experience. For each of us, it is something different, but Christ is ever ready to do what it takes to get our attention, to open the eyes of our faith to his redeeming work in our lives.

Once the Emmaus couple realized the significance of what had taken place at their table, they rushed to share the good new with others, to celebrate their ecstatic joy with Jesus’ followers. Together the jubilant companions exclaim, “The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!” And to Mary Magdalene, and to the Emmaus couple, and to Thomas, and to Paul, and to Alex and Pat, and to Audrey, and to Beverly, and to Butch and Kathy, and to Diane, and to Don and Helene, and to Dorothy, and to Ed, and to Georgia, and to Gloria, and to Jack, and to Jennie, and to Leigh, and to Linda, and to Martha, and to Mary Lou, and to Peter Rhea, and to Randy, and to Rosemary, and to Roy, and to Sally, and to Tom, and to Vickie, and to you and to me. Thanks be to God! Alleluia! Alleluia!