I am crazy about stories, and have been especially since I learned to read. I was one of those kids in school who couldn’t stand when my class was taking turns reading aloud (which always went so slow) and I would surreptitiously read ahead, sneakily turning the pages so I could find out what was going to happen. I always have a novel going. I love to watch movies too. I like meeting a character in a movie or novel, and entering vicariously into his or her life. Trying someone else’s life on, seeing where it meets my own life and where it doesn’t, is very pleasurable for me.

A lot of the joy in reading stories or watching movies comes in the moments of “revelation” – the “a-ha” moments in which the murderer is disclosed or the heroine learns a truth about herself or the hero comes to a new understanding about his life. “A-ha” moments can be very, very satisfying. The past is suddenly redeemed, forgiveness is possible, and relationships are saved or transformed. “A-ha” moments can also be very, very scary because suddenly everything is different, everything is changed, and the characters in the story can’t help but view the future in a new and different way.

In our collect for this morning, we pray that God might continue to grant us “a-ha” moments – moments of revelation when we might see ourselves, our neighbors, and our church community in a new light. “Open the eyes of our faith, that we may behold Christ in all his redeeming work…” That whole notion of seeing things in a new light is the theme in each of our readings for today. We have three great stories this morning in scripture in which God grants human beings some “a-ha” moments; and their lives are suddenly new and different and irrevocably changed as a result. Let’s look at each in turn…

In the story from Acts, we meet Saul – the good and faithful Pharisee who is utterly convinced he is about God’s work as he seeks out those wayward Jews who have been misled by that convicted criminal Jesus of Nazareth. Imagine how it felt to be Saul – so honest, so forthright, so committed to God and God’s work – as he is struck down in the middle of a road, blinded by intense light, and as he hears the voice saying, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” And imagine what Saul feels in his gut when his whole world collapses, when everything he thought was right turns out to be wrong as Saul hears who it is that has stopped him in his tracks: “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.”

What is it like for us when we suddenly find out we’ve been not just wrong about somebody or something, but dead wrong? When we find out we’ve gotten it so unbelievably mixed up and messed up that we come to a complete standstill? When we’ve been blind to the truth? In those moments of tragic revelation, when we come to the realization that we’ve been incredibly mistaken, we need to remember the story of Saul because God did not leave Saul to stew in his own sinfulness but rather provided the way and the means to a new future. “And the Lord said to Ananias, ‘Go, for he is an instrument whom I have chosen to bring my name before Gentiles and kings and before the people of Israel…’” Saul learned, as we do when we’ve been blinded by our own mistakes, that God will not leave us alone. God has a future in store for us, and we learn to pray with all our hearts, “Open the eyes of our faith, that we may behold Christ in all his redeeming work…”

In our reading from John’s gospel, the faith of the disciples is opened to see Christ as he prepares breakfast on the beach for them. What must it have been like for Simon Peter, Thomas, Nathanael, and the others to have the risen Lord in their midst after all that had happened? Think back to the moments of revelation that have taken place the last few weeks. Mary’s joyous shout of recognition, “Teacher!” when she realizes the figure standing before her is not a gardener but her Lord and Savior. Thomas’ quiet acknowledgment, “My Lord and my God” as revelation comes in the form of physical touch. And now revelation in the peacefulness of a new morning on the beach and the invitation to “Come and have breakfast.” Even as they enjoy the bread and the grilled fish they know for certain that life for them has changed forever.

What is it like for us when we’ve been granted a new beginning? When we have the God-given chance to start anew? When the future that God intends for us suddenly comes into focus? When we are given the gift of amazing grace where we see our way clearly to our own role in Christ’s redeeming work in the world?

The last reading for today comes from The Revelation to John – that strange and awesome vision of the time in the future when God’s re-creation of the world will be complete. Where Saul’s eyes are opened as scales fall from his eyes, and the disciples see Jesus in the breaking of the bread, John is given a fantastic vision in which the sacrifice of Christ has made it possible for the whole world to serve God. The Revelation to John reminds us that there is a pattern – there is a design – and there will be a finale – a time when God brings it round full circle. The living creatures and the elders sing the new song: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slaughtered and by your blood you ransomed for God saints from every tribe and language and people and nation; you have made them to be a kingdom and priests serving our God, and they will reign on earth.”

When have there been times in your life when God has given you the ability to see the design and pattern of your own life? When you’ve been granted a sense of proportion and perspective? When the light has dawned and you feel like you’ve come full circle? When you’ve understood your own role in the redeeming of the world?

The stories from scripture today show us that our God is a God who reveals himself – who discloses himself – who shows himself – in many different ways. We’ve just explored three revelations of God to human beings. When we pray, “Open the eyes of our faith, that we may behold Christ in all his redeeming work,” we are praying that we’ll be rescued from our own narrow and limited sight lines, from our own pat and easy answers, from our own “reading” of people and situations and relationships and that we’ll be granted a glimpse of God’s vision and answers and analysis of the way things are and the way things should be.

Is it a prayer that comes easily off your lips and out of your hearts? Or is it a prayer that is hard for you to pray? Heaven forbid, if we pray the prayer with intention, we may find we have scales falling from our eyes, or we may meet Christ in our own version of “breakfast on the beach”; the eucharist, or we may find that suddenly we are seeing our way into the future we never thought was possible.

And that’s what Easter is really all about. Easter isn’t a one-day event, but a new way of seeing and living and experiencing life. God has begun a new creation – and God’s invitation to you, right here and now, is “Come and see.”

Amen.