Our collect for today asks God to “open the eyes of our faith that we may behold [Christ Jesus] in all his redeeming work.” It calls to mind the hymn:

“Open my eyes, Lord; I want to see Jesus,

to reach out and touch him, and say that I Iove him.

Open my ears, Lord, and help me to listen.

Open my eyes, Lord; I want to see Jesus.”

We so often close ourselves off from the Divine Encounter, unable to open our hearts to receive what the Holy One has prepared for us. We need God’s help working from deep within and in the circumstances of our lives to enable us to recognize the reality of the Risen Lord however it may manifest.

If we want to be witnesses of Christ Jesus as he calls us in our gospel today, experiencing the Divine Presence in our lives in the here and now is necessary. That means taking time to focus on deepening our relationship with Christ Jesus, paying attention to his word and work proclaimed in scripture, becoming ever more aware of how he has worked in our lives over the years, noticing his ever-present grace and love day by day.

Opening our eyes is only the beginning; sharing the story of our grace-filled experiences of the Risen Lord with others when and wherever the opportunity presents itself, loving others that come our way however we can, choosing to be self-giving rather than self-serving is what makes us witnesses for Christ Jesus’ redeeming work here and now.