1 Corinthians 15:1-8
Psalm 19:2-3, 4-5
John 14:6-14

“Have I been with you all this time, Phillip, and still you don’t know me?”(John 14: 9)

As a child, I was convinced that had I been alive at the time of Jesus, there would be no question that I would follow him.  So, it was puzzling to me that the followers of Jesus, as well as many others kept missing the point…they just didn’t get it!

How often do we use that phrase in exasperation when our colleagues, children, students, spouses, friends and/or family fail to understand what it is that we are trying to communicate!

Last week, our campus student GSA organization sponsored a “Day of Silence.”  Students, faculty and staff were encouraged to wear a ‘silence’ button on Wednesday, reminding them and others of their commitment to silence for the day.  Our silence was in solidarity with people who are marginalized and silenced due to their sexual orientation, color, creed, ethnic background, etc.  Though I also had made the commitment to silence and wore my button, I met a student whom I hadn’t seen in many weeks.  As I excitedly greeted her, she pointed to her button and looked at me with some amazement in her eyes that I was speaking to her.  I obviously had forgotten my pledge momentarily…sort of ‘not getting it.’

As Paul continued his journeys, he sent letters to Corinth, reiterating what he taught them while he was with them in person.  The people needed encouragement in their new faith to which they had committed while Paul was with them.   Paul wanted the people of Corinth to ‘get it’…understand the message of Jesus.   Paul offers his witness and reminder, not founded on Paul, but on what had been revealed to him and many others by the risen Christ. 

In John’s Gospel, Jesus is opening up a new vision for his followers…if they know Jesus and live according to his teaching, then they also know God. “If you really knew me, you would know God also.”  However, Philip pleaded, “Show us God, and that will be enough for us.”  How very human, so ‘I don’t get it, but show me what you mean, and I’ll believe!’

Can’t you just see Jesus shaking his head as he says, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and still you don’t know me?” 

It is so easy to forget or to ‘miss the point’ of this Easter season and of God’s presence around us, as we go about our ordinary lives.  Do we really ‘get it’?  God walked among us in human form – in Jesus. 

Do we really ‘get it’?  Do we act as if we believe that we have come to know God in the person Jesus, in his words, teachings and actions?  Are we resurrection people – alive with the knowledge and belief that we are loved by God, and called to make God real in our everyday life?

Sometimes it is hard to ‘get it’ in the midst of our very busy everyday worlds as we shoulder our responsibilities, meet deadlines, or hurry on to our next ‘to do’ on our lists of life.

However, do we even ‘get’ the invitation from Jesus… “Whatever you ask in my name I will do, so that God may be glorified in me.”?

When I am overwhelmed with my day-to-day have to’s, I tend to get down on myself… if only I could remember to center myself in prayer…to get in touch with my God.  As much as I struggle in prayer at times to allow God into my life, I often forget (don’t get it) that it is this that I can bring to prayer…asking God into my struggles to be faithful, to live as if I believed in a loving God who lives in me.  I don’t have to do it alone.  In fact, Jesus said, “Anything you ask in my name I will do.”

Perhaps as we travel this Easter season we can turn to our God in prayer…asking God to assist us to live into being Easter people in a world that so needs the presence of love, of peace…of God.