Different Stories, Same Meaning / And Ransom

Friday, April 21, 2006 -- Friday in Easter Week

"Morning Reflections" is a brief thought about the scripture readings from the Daily Office of Morning and Evening Prayer according to the practice found in the Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church.

Morning Prayer begins on p. 80 of the Book of Common Prayer.
Evening Prayer begins on p. 117

An online resource for praying the Daily Office is found at www.missionstclare.com
Another form of the office from Phyllis Tickle's "Divine Hours" is available on our partner web site www.ExploreFaith.org at this link -- http://explorefaith.org/prayer/fixed/index.html

Today's Readings for the Daily Office (p. 959)
Psalms 136 (morning) // 118 (afternoon)
Exodus 13:1-2, 11-16
1 Corinthians 15:51-58
Luke 24:1-12

This week we've been reading the various accounts of Jesus' resurrection and his appearances to the disciples. It is interesting to note that all of the Gospel accounts are different and that none of the appearance stories is found in more than one gospel. In the accounts of Jesus' life and ministry leading up to his death, there are many stories that are told in more than one gospel. Not so for the stories of Easter and beyond. It seems that each community and each evangelist told the resurrection stories in their own way.

Though the stories are different, the meaning is consistent. Jesus lives. He has triumphed over the powers who executed, over empire and death. Now he is alive for us, no longer conformed to space and time. He is with us, sometimes recognized and sometimes not, abiding with us always. Jesus is Lord, the victorious one, who invites us to walk in his way of compassion and love.

It seems freeing to me that we have many different ways to express that same meaning. Every person's story of the risen Christ has its uniqueness.
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The Exodus passage establishes a post-Passover tradition. "Whatever is the first to open the womb among the Israelites, of human beings and animals, is mine." So, the firstborn of every animal is to be given to God, presented to the priests for God's use. An unclean animal, like a donkey, can be redeemed by presenting a clean animal, a sheep. Every firstborn male child must be redeemed or purchased back from God, either with money or the substitution of a member of the priestly tribe of Levi.

Redeem is an interesting word. To redeem means to pay a ransom in order to set free and regain possession of a family member or plot of land that has been taken over by another person or owner. If your relative has been captured in war or has become a slave through indebtedness, you may ransom them by making a payment for their freedom. A ransom is a means of liberation.

Several places in the New Testament, the word ransom is used in connection with Jesus' life. Jesus gave his life as a means of liberation from bondage for us. That liberation for us is our life of service rather than a life in domination. As Mark's gospel puts it: "You know that among the Gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over them and their great one are tyrants over them. But it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many." (Mk. 10:42-44)

Our liberation is our imitation of Jesus' servant leadership, which ransoms / redeems (liberates) us from the broken systems of domination.
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P.S. The word translated "die" in many English New Testaments means more literally "fall asleep" in the Greek. Occasionally you'll see a sign over the door of a church's infant's nursery: "We will not all fall asleep, but we will all be changed." (1 Cor. 15:51)