Caryll Houselander, a writer and spiritual teacher, tells of a powerful, vision that she had of the risen Christ.

In her own words I would like to share part of her story to begin my sermon:

It all happened, she writes, on a very ordinary day:

“I was in an underground train, a crowed train in which all sorts of people came together, workers of every kind going home at the end of the day.  Then quite suddenly I saw with my mind, but as vividly as a wonderful picture, Christ in them all.

But I saw even more than that; not only was Christ in everyone of them, living in them, rejoicing with them, sorrowing in them – but because he was in them and because they were here the whole world as it were was here too, here in this underground train – at that very moment.

The train ride ended.  I came out into the street and walked for a long time in the crowds.  It was the same here, on every side, in every passer-by -Christ.  I saw the risen Christ everywhere.

After a few days the vision faded.  People looked the same again, there was no longer the same shock of insight.  Now each time I was face to face with another human being, I simply saw another human being.  Christ seemed hidden once again, indeed through the years to come I would have to seek for him and usually I would find him in others and still more in myself only through a very deliberate and blind act of faith.”

Houselander’s spiritual vision speaks to the presence of Jesus among us.

The presence of the risen Christ with us!

He is here, he is there, he is everywhere.

In one Gospel Jesus said:

“I am the light above everything.  I am everything.  Everything came forth from me, and everything reached me.  Split wood, I am there.  Lift up a rock, you will find me.”

Gospel of Thomas

And in another Gospel Jesus said:

“I am the light of the world.”  Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Gospel of John

Granted sometimes in life it may seem like Jesus is more hidden than visible.

We know that he is the light of the whole world but do we live as though he is the light of the whole world.

Even as we gather together on Sunday mornings, the time in which we set aside for worship and for our spiritual growth, do we anticipate encountering the risen Christ in worship?

In our day to day lives do we anticipate the risen Christ walking with us?

Now this is where a leap of faith is required in order for us to experience Christ with us.

Without this leap of faith, we may get stuck in our faith.

To recognize the presence of the divine Christ in every thing and every one is to take one big step forward in our spiritual maturity.

This step forward though does not happen through our own power or effort.

In fact, it cannot.

I love this quote by Martin Luther!

Luther writes in the Small Catechism:

“I believe that by my own understanding or strength I cannot believe in Jesus Christ my Lord or come to him, but instead the Holy Spirit has called me through the gospel.”

Faith happens through the work of the Holy Spirit in us.

The vision that Paul received in Acts chapter 16 and that John received in Revelation 21 came about through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus said in the Gospel of John chapter fourteen:

“The advocate, meaning the helper, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you.”

Now what does the Holy Spirit teach us?

The Spirit teaches us what Houselander saw in her vision – that Christ is with us, in us, and around us.

The risen Christ is with us even now.

It is like this…

In life sometimes things pass us by without us truly noticing or seeing it.

Maybe we are even trying to see what we are looking at but cannot.

Let me give you an example here:

For years I was trying to connect with the ideas of the theologian and teacher, Richard Rohr.

I have been buying his books, reading his books, and then telling Kalen after each attempt… I don’t connect with this author!

But this past week… all of a sudden, for some reason, I picked up one of his books, from my shelf, and started reading.

And his ideas started connecting for me for the first time.

Not only was it affecting me here in my mind, where I could process what he was saying, but maybe more importantly I started to feel it here and that is when the book really started to impact me.

What changed?

It’s hard to say… but something did change in me and now I see what the author was trying to say and now I know why so many people love reading books by him – including many of my friends.

The Advocate, which could also be translated as helper or as one called to one’s side is the One who helps us to see Jesus.

I especially like that image of the Spirit as One who is called to walk alongside of us – teaching us and reminding us that Jesus and his peace is upon us.

This Spirit, who is called to walk with us, opens our eyes to see the risen Christ among us – to feel his joy, to feel his pain, to experience him in the here and now.

May the Holy Spirit call, gather, and enlighten us and on the last day bring us and all believers in Christ eternal life.

Amen.