Sermon for 3rd Easter
But We Had Hoped
By The Rev. Eric Christopher Shafer -
Today’s Gospel lesson from St. Luke takes us back to later in the day on that first Easter Sunday, a time when Jesus’ followers did not yet know for certain what had happened to their Lord.
Luke tells us that two disciples, one named Cleopas and the other unnamed, Luke tells us that two of Jesus’ disciples were walking on that first Easter Sunday to Emmaus, a village about seven miles from Jerusalem. As they were walking they were discussing all that had happened over the last few days. And, while they were talking Jesus actually joined them on their journey, but, for some reason, they did not recognize Jesus. Jesus then asked the two disciples what they were talking about.
As you read Luke’s account, you can just imagine that the disciples probably were almost breathless as they responded to Jesus, Jesus who they have not yet recognized, probably talking fast as they blurted out the story of the events of the past few days, saying, Luke tells us:
“… things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in dead and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him. Yes, and besides all of this, it is now the third day since these events took place. Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, and when they did not find his body there, they came back and told us that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who said that he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women has said; but they did not see him.”
I can just imagine these two disciples pouring this story out to Jesus, who, at this moment, they still knew only as a stranger.
In my retelling just now, I left out the line that struck me the most in this text, “But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel.
But we had hoped.
Right in the middle of their description of the last three days, come these four words, “But we had hoped.” When you think about it, these words are among the most heartbreaking and realistic in all of scripture – Cleopas and another unnamed disciple tell a stranger they had met on the road to Emmaus, a stranger they do not yet recognize as Jesus himself, they tell this stranger the story of Jesus and their disappointment in all that has happened. “But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel.”
“But we had hoped ….” So much is said in those four words, as they speak of a future that is not to be, a dream that created energy and enthusiasm that did not materialize, a promise that created faith that now appeared to be false. These words speak of a future that is closed off, now irrelevant, dead. A dead future.
And there are few things more tragic than a dead future.
There’s a famous story that the writer Ernest Hemmingway was once challenged to write a short-story in just six words. Hemmingway supposedly responded to this challenge by writing on a napkin, “For Sale: Baby shoes, never used.”
For the disciples, it was not just the tragedy of what happened that hurt, but the gaping hole they now felt of all that could have happened but will now not happen.
“But we had hoped.”
I have to say that I sort of like those heart-breaking words. No, I do not like them because I like to wallow in dark or sentimental emotions. I like them because you and I know that they ring true. They are not the only truth, of course; there is much in this life that is beautiful, daring, confident, inspiring, and more, all of which deserves our gratitude. But, there is also disappointment, heartbreak and failure in this life.
And, it seems to me that sometimes we tend to gloss over the heartbreak in our lives.
A friend shares the news of the death of his sister – we sympathize for a moment and then change the subject. A colleague shares her disappointment with not getting a promotion and we remind her how fortunate she is just to have a job. Or, we see an acquaintance we know has just gone through a dreadful loss, and we avoid him or her altogether because, well, we just do not know what to say.
Of course, none of us mean to be callous or insensitive; we are just at such a loss with … loss. We feel inadequate to the task of confronting the darkness in our lives and this world and so we flee into denial. (Just think of those protestors trying to tell us that the coronavirus is no more dangerous than the flu!)
We even have trouble with heartbreak and loss in the church. We are people of the resurrection after all. So, it is easy to hear today’s Gospel lesson and go right to the second part when the disciples finally realized it was indeed Jesus himself, alive, in their midst and their hearts burned with Jesus’ love for them.
But, today, and especially important I believe in these difficult days of global uncertainty, but, today we need to remember that before resurrection, there IS Good Friday. Before there are burning hearts, there are also broken hearts.
When I last preached on this text six years ago, in the first months of my time with you as your Senior Pastor, I suggested that Mt. Olive could/should become a place that welcomes broken hearts. Because, part and parcel of being human is being broken.
In today’s Gospel reading with the disciples on the Emmaus road and in this and every time we gather as this community of faith we call Mt. Olive, whether we gather in person or online, in those times, in any and all of these times, the Risen Christ comes, walking along with us on the road, astonished that we do not see as we ought, teaching us the Scriptures that we might understand, sharing his presence with us and giving our broken hearts the burning love he has for us all.
And it all starts by admitting we have broken hearts.
Once we have made that admission we can reach out more easily to others who also have broken hearts – that cancer has returned, that after this pandemic is more under control, they may have no job to which to return, that the addiction they have been fighting for years still is not under control, that a child or other family member really does not want to talk with them, let alone spend time with them – and so on and so on.
Our hearts are broken. And everyone, everyone we know also has a broken heart in one way or another. Knowing this, brokenhearted though we may be, we can help each other move forward, together. We may be brokenhearted, but we can move forward in and with the assurance of God’s love for us and our love and care for one another.
My friend Bishop H. George Anderson once shared with me that when his first wife, Sonny, died of cancer, he was in deep, deep grief. It was a struggle just to drag himself out of bed and go to Sunday worship. And, when he got to worship, he found he could not sing, as much as he loved singing. He also found he could not pray aloud, as much as he loved and valued prayer. All Bishop Anderson could do at that time was to be present for worship. Even that was a huge struggle in his loss and grief.
But, Bishop Anderson shared with me, the worshipping community around him did sing. The community around him did pray and they supported Bishop Anderson in prayer. In his own broken-heartedness, Anderson had a community who accepted and loved him just as he was. And then, this same community helped him move beyond his broken-heartedness.
But we had hoped…. We are, we will be, disappointed at times, even brokenhearted, even broken at times. But, even in those times we can be assured of God’s love and forgiveness for us. And when we realize this we can share in the brokenness of others with our love care and concern for them.
We can always be assured of God’s love for those of us who are broken and brokenhearted. And, we can always be assured of God’s love and forgiveness for us all and that God walks with us this day and all our days.
And, in the midst of dashed hopes and broken hearts, that is enough.
May God’s love continue to burn in our hearts, yours and mine, in all the times of our lives, and forever.
Amen.
(With thanks to the Rev. Dr. David Lose.)
The Rev. Eric Christopher Shafer
Senior Pastor - Mt. Olive Lutheran Church
Santa Monica, California
Sermon for:
April 26, 2020
