This first Sunday after Easter is colloquially referred to as “Low Sunday.” After the crescendoing expectations of Holy Week and the celebration of the Easter morning surprise, it is now time to keep moving forward. Christ is risen. Now what do we do?

But if this is a “low” excitement Sunday, and a much lower attendance Sunday for most churches today, this week’s gospel text starkly reminds us just how “low” Jesus’ disciples were on Easter Sunday itself. Despite Mary Magdalene’s astonishing report to the apostles “I have seen the Lord,” they show little evidence of having been given any “good news.” We find them still hunkered down in the residence where they had celebrated Passover. They have literally locked themselves in that Upper Room: locked up their hopes, locked down their exposure…