Appeared Also to Me

In the late eighties, on his “Graceland” album Paul Simon had a lyric that always amused me. Poets like songwriter Simon employ license and string together phrases that make us wonder. 

Over the mountain, down in the valley
Lives a former talk-show host; Everybody knows his name
He says there's no doubt about it, It was the myth of fingerprints
I've seen them all, and man, they’re all the same.
(“All Around the World” – Paul Simon-first stanza)

The truth is that fingerprints are all unique, so this stanza catches our attention with its claim that it is a myth—that they are all the same. We use language to make claims and they always carry implied frames of reference. Whereas any two sets of fingerprints placed side by side will have things similar about them, they will certainly never be identical.

In a similar vein, I saw a tee-shirt on someone that amused me. It touted, ironically: “I’m unique, just like everyone else.” I am coming to a point best said in the most general terms: Aspects of us, we hold in common with all others, yet we all are uniquely different. There has never been another you, and there never will be again.

So, there are ways we are the same and ways we are different. We are naturally, it seems, fascinated with our differences. I bring this up because in the lessons for the 5th Sunday after the Epiphany there were several instances of amazing human encounters with God. In Isaiah 6 there is a description of that prophet’s encounter, In Luke 5 we see Peter’s startling experience. In 1 Corinthians 15 Paul refers to Christ’s appearance to him:

For I handed on to you as of first importance what I, in turn, had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. (1Corinthians 15:3-9)

Isaiah’s encounter with The Holy was astounding. Peter’s encounter with the power of Christ in the enormous catch of fish-filled him with awe and trepidation. We know that Paul’s encounter with the risen Christ was transformative. He saw a light, he was struck blind, he heard the voice of Christ insisting that he stop his persecuting campaign. I am drawn to his phrase, “he appeared also to me.” I pray that we would all try that phrase on for ourselves.

Perhaps there is no fruit in drawing a distinction, and saying things like, “Well these figures from the Old and New Testaments had their encounters with God, but I have never had anything of the sort happen to me.” No two experiences of The Divine are identical, but none are to be dismissed, either. I am confident enough about this to assert that God has indeed reached out to you, and you do not need to discount or dismiss that truth. You might not have seen six-winged seraphs hovering as Isaiah did. You might not have been struck blind, having seen the flash of the appearing Christ. (I am sure Paul himself would not wish that experience upon you.) But you have had your experience. It probably was not sought. It might have been woven into the ordinariness of your life, or it might have been startling and dramatic. God does this. God reaches out to his beloved children and affords them encounters with Divine Presence.

The important thing is to take stock of the ways that God touches you. And that you deeply reflect upon where to go with it. Say it to yourself, “Christ appeared also to me.” Then add this as well, “What then must I do in my relationship with God?” There is a ministry out there in the world hoping to have your fingerprints all over it.