A line from the hymn Christ Is Alive! By Brian Wren caught my attention this morning: “He comes to claim the here and now.”
It’s
hard for us to grasp that Christ is just as present to us here and now as he
was to his disciples when he was among them in the flesh in the person of
Jesus. The incarnation was not limited to a 33-year period centuries ago in
Palestine but continues today. Christ who wept upon hearing of the death of his
friend Lazarus is present in the tears of persons whose family members
succumbed to the COVID-19 virus. Christ who fed the hungry is present in volunteers
who prepare sack lunches for the homeless. Christ who turned water into wine at
a wedding feast is present in persons who toast newlyweds today.
When we love someone, we want to be with them. How can that be any different for God, whose love is so much greater than we can imagine? Yes, in the great scheme of things we are lowly and have many limitations, yet inexplicably God loves us and wants to be with us, and thus there Christ is at our side.
Like the disciples walking to Emmaus, we often don’t recognize who is accompanying us on our journey. As with these disciples, we would do well to pay attention when our hearts are burning within us, for this is a sign that Christ has come to claim the here and now—Christ has come to claim us, who are beloved.
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