From the Chaplains

Who is Jesus in the Post-Easter World?

At the end of each of the four Gospels the disciples of Jesus struggle to immediately recognise him when he appears before them. Part of this is explained in their expected doubt that he was indeed resurrected, but that is not all of what we read. There is more. The Gospels appear to agree that Jesus looked different post resurrection for how he looked during his life.

In the Gospel of John we read that ‘Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach, but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus (John 21.4). If we read further we discover that is was not until after Jesus demonstrates who he is that the disciples recognise him.

In the Gospel of Mark we are told that Jesus ‘appeared on another form to two’ of his disciples (Mark 16.12).

In the Gospel of Matthew we are told that the disciples saw him ‘but they doubted’ it was truly him (Matthew 28.17).

In the Gospel of Luke we are given the story of the Road to Emmaus. In this story two of the disciples walk several miles along the road to Emmaus with Jesus ‘but their eyes were kept from recognising him’ (Luke 24.16.) It was not until after they had listened to the strangers teaching, invited them into their house and then accepted their hospitality that ‘their eyes were opened and they recongised him’ (Luke 24.31).

All of these texts make me wonder what Jesus looked like? How was he so different that his closest friends did not recongise him?

Artist Emmanuel Garibay (b. 1962, Philippines) has speculated about this in several of his paintings. The painting below does not give us an answer but it invites this question. If you look closely Jesus is the person sitting where we are. Only his hands can be seen gesturing to the gathered people. We know they are his hands because we can see the stigmata- the holes that were placed when he was nailed to the cross.

Garibay takes this a little question one step further in this next painting which is titled ‘Emmaus.’ As you look at it I invite you to look for Jesus before reading further.

Did you find Jesus?

For Garibay, Jesus appears as the woman in the pink dress at the centre of the painting. Of course, like all artists, Garibay’s painting reflects from his context. In discussing the painting Garibay says that he has depicted Jesus as a very ordinary Filipino woman who shares food and tells stories. These stories are filled with laughter as is common for the Filipino people. Jesus, as a woman, works for Garibay this context because she does what Jesus did. Women transcend the conventional concepts of power including the need to control and dominate.

The beauty of the painting is that like the disciples who missed Jesus whilst walking on the road, Garibay is reminding us to look closely. If we did not see the stigmata all of us would have missed an encounter with God too because of our assumption. If you like because of our inherent (and often unknown) cultural understanding and bias.

Through the scripture and through these perhaps provocative paintings I think that we are reminded that we must look for Jesus in all people and places. We are reminded to look for the compassion, justice, kindness and care that Jesus demonstrated in his life, death and resurrection in all people today. Not just in people that look like us, or are familiar to us, but in all people

More importantly, we are also reminded that this compassion, justice, kindness and care will likely look different for each of us. Because each of us apply these things differently because our lives are different.

It is in inviting one another to the banquet of life and accepting hospitality and love of the ‘other’ that we are changed. This is the true wonder of diversity and inclusion. This is where, I believe, we find Jesus today.

‘Let mutual affection continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it.’ Hebrews 13.2

P.s. If you want to see these paintings I encourage you to visit Paddington Uniting Church. You will find them side by side inside the church, alongside a range of other beautiful art.

Reverend Danielle Hemsworth-Smith

College Chaplain