Historic First Lutheran Church of Pasadena

Christ is Risen! He is Risen Indeed! Alleluia!

Welcome, my friends, to “Low Sunday!”

Oh, no, that’s not the officially sanctioned terminology to refer to today, the Second Sunday of Easter, but it’s what all pastors always call it among themselves and even among church members.

And, when you stop to think about it, this can indeed rightfully be called “Low Sunday” for several reasons:

In just about every church – no matter the denomination or the location – last Sunday was probably their highest attended worship service services of the entire year. This Sunday is often the lowest attended worship service or services of the entire year. Attendance at services this Sunday is always lower than usual Sunday worship averages and substantially lower than attendance on Easter Sunday. The church just seems empty today. People make all kinds of excuses – it’s spring break and many people are traveling; many people feel they did their “duty” during Lent with extra midweek services and especially during Holy Week so they “reward” themselves with this Sunday “off.”

But besides just the lower attendances at services this Sunday, there often also is an emotional “lowness” among us. After forty days in Lent, we were so ready to sing and shout “Alleluia” last Sunday. We were ready to hear the trumpets join the organ in joyous anthems. We were ready to see and smell those Easter lilies all over the chancel. This Sunday, our “Alleluias” seem a little less charged. Our hymns lack some of those extra flourishes. And there’s only a few Easter lilies remaining – and even they’re looking a little depressed.

I guess that’s how Jesus’ disciples felt on that first Easter evening. It had been a long day. They had been up since the crack of dawn. They had likely made several excited trips back and forth to the tomb, confirming they had the correct tomb and that Jesus’ body was not there and that there was no logical explanation as to why Jesus’ body wasn’t there. They had probably run around town all day long, letting everyone know about the Resurrection. If there was such a place, they had probably spent some time in the “Jerusalem Pub,” joyfully raising a cold one in honor of the Resurrected Jesus. As nighttime fell, they came to realize that not everyone was excited about the events of the day. The hatred of the Jewish leaders now seemed to be directed against them. Their fear intensified as darkness approached. Solid walls and locked doors were the perceived answer to the question of their safety. There was, after all, no reason to be foolish.

Then Jesus was in their midst. Through seemingly impenetrable solid walls and locked doors, Jesus in their midst, in the center of that crowded room. “Peace be with you.” “Peace” was His answer to their fears. “Peace” was His answer to their doubts. “Peace” was what they needed on the evening of that first day of the week.

“Peace” was what a couple hundred of us needed two and a half days ago as we gathered at Trinity Cristo Rey Lutheran Church in Santa Ana to celebrate the eternal life given to Joseph Lopez, 30-year-old son of Pastor Johnny and Sarah Lopez, husband of Michelle, father of Joseph and Johnny. I don’t think I ever met Joseph, but I’ve known and worked with his Dad for years. I went to college with his older brother and sister. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I read that sad email last Tuesday afternoon. After the emotional high of Easter and a wonderfully restful Monday, I wasn’t for that emotional crash Tuesday afternoon. But the crash I experienced was nothing compared with that of the Lopez family.

Joseph was a decorated Army veteran who received the Medal of Valor for this service in Iraq. Born with cystic fibrosis and asthma, Joseph wasn’t supposed to have lived past age 12. Imagine the surprise of his family when not only Joseph announced his intention to join the armed forces after September 11, but that the Army accepted him and that he made it through boot camp and was deployed to Iraq. He lived through pure hell. He spent a night laying in the sand, waiting to move forward – right on top of an ant hill. Two rounds hit him in the chest and knocked him unconscious from a Humvee, with his body armor saving his life. Press reports place Joseph in the midst of what was called the worst attack on U.S. forces since the first days of the war. In that battle, during which he saved the lives of others, 15 died and 23 were wounded. Pure hell! Joseph was granted a medical discharge in 2005 and returned home to put his life back together again, suffering with horrible Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. His life finally seemed to be getting better when a gun he was cleaning accidentally discharged last Saturday, the day before Easter. Talk about an emotional crash! But, true to form, Jesus didn’t leave us alone this past week.

“Peace be with you!” Jesus spoke those words to Joseph last Saturday morning. Jesus spoke those words to us on Thursday afternoon as Easter lilies lined the center aisle of Trinity Cristo Rey and as we as joyously as we could sang in English and Spanish, “Joyful! Joyful! We Adore Thee” and “Jesus Lives! The Victory’s Won!” and “I Know that My Redeemer Lives!” In some ways, it wasn’t easy, but blessed were we who have not seen, who have not put our fingers into His hands and side, and yet have believed. Jesus spoke to us the words from our Second Reading today – “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One. I was dead and – behold – I am alive forever and ever. And I hold the keys of death and Hades” [Revelation 1:17-18].

I know I am not the only one who’s had an emotional crash this week. I know the Lopez family aren’t the only ones who have had an emotional crash this week. I know that there are probably many of you here today who have locked yourselves into what you think is an impenetrable room. No one else in the world might even know it, but Jesus knows where you are. And there is no place He can’t penetrate. And since He’s the First and the Last, the Living One, the Conqueror of death, since He holds the keys to death and Hades, there’s nothing Jesus can’t solve with His one simple word, “Peace.”

Peace – today! Peace – on ‘Low Sunday!’ Peace – everyday!

Christ is Risen! He is Risen Indeed! Alleluia!

Pastor Christopher Schaar
Historic First Lutheran Church of Pasadena