Pinch Yourself
Certain expressions, proverbs, and well-worn sayings can be short-hand descriptions of life, and in some instances, deeper truths. To this day, such words used by my parents continue to flow through my consciousness: ‘Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me’; ‘A day late and a dollar short’; ‘Your actions are speaking so loud I can’t hear a word you’re saying.’ Another expression that my parents used when the experience was just too good to be true was, “Pinch me”.
The good news of the resurrection was truly hard for the disciples of Jesus to fathom. The love and grace they so often heard Jesus talk about were greater than the powers that hung Christ on the cross and the empty tomb that followed. The disciples were working to keep themselves grounded in reality; they were in need of a pinch. In the scripture passages which we will consider on the first Sundays in April, there’s a sense that Jesus appeared to the disciples with full knowledge of their need to establish the fact that they were not dreaming. And as much as they were in need of a pinch, there was also a sense, demonstrated by Thomas, that some of them needed to pinch Jesus as well!
One of Jesus’ appearances takes place on a shore. Some of the disciples had gone fishing. They had returned to what they knew prior to their decision to follow Jesus. After a celebration of Easter, it’s easy for us to return to our normal routines, too. By early Easter Sunday afternoon…..after our spiral cut hams, daffodil bouquets, chocolate bunnies and cream pie…..few of us were probably reflecting on the full impact of the resurrection. We may need to pinch ourselves as a reminder that, as followers of Christ, we are now the physical representation of the resurrected Christ to the world. We become the reality of the body of Christ on earth. We have been given the same opportunity Jesus seemed willing to give his original disciples: to not only see but to be able to touch the resurrected reality of which we are a part.
Our pinch may also need to remind us of the faith we claim. We cannot live in this new reality on our strength alone. We must recognize and claim the presence and power of Christ within and among us. “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” (Ephesians 5:1-2 NRSV) May all our senses be alive to the love of God in our lives, our realities, so we may give others the opportunity to see the risen Christ in unmistakable ways.
