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Gerard Hughes tells an intriguing story in his book God of Surprises. Here is what he wrote: I shall call him 'Jock', because he was a Scot , tall, sandy-haired, freckled and taciturn. By trade he was an interior decorator, but unemployed. I was staying with friends who were having a room decorated and Jock was helping for the day. He worked like a monk with a vow of silence, his conversation limited to an occasional 'Aye' or 'Mmm'.

Before joining us for the evening meal, he went off for a pint or two and then had wine with the food, but he still remained locked in his inner cell, adding only an 'Ta' to the 'Ayes' and 'Mmms'. Towards the end of one meal we began talking about North Wales, where I was then working. Jock looked up from his plate with obvious interest,

then he began to speak. 'Aye,' he said, 'Ah wis in Wales in the summer, ma first holiday away frae home.'

3 Hughes could not remember the details, but it was a long story. Either Jock had just been jilted by his girl friend and was trying to find her in North Wales, or he was trying to get away to forget her, but he continued, 'D'ye know whit ah found mysel' doin'? Walkin' the moors wi' a wee dug. Ma mates wid've thought ah wis crazy, but ah felt happy. Ah came tae cliffs by the sea and jist sat there. The sea looked affie big and ah felt very wee, but ah wis happy. Daft, isn't it?

Ah cannie tell ma mates, 'cos they'd think ah wis kinky.'

Hughes goes on to say that Jock had a natural sense of wonder. He had a feeling of his own tininess in face of creation, but yet experienced happiness, not terror. He then goes on to suggest that wonder is the beginning of wisdom, and the happiness Jock felt was a taste of the joy of humility, which is a glad acceptance of our tininess and dependence. Well this morning we heard about another human being

5 full of wonder who found unexpected joy. For despite her grief, Mary Magdalene continued to look she continued to be accept she continued to be open. In fact, she continued to sense her dependence on faith and her own tininess in understanding. And as a result she had an unexpected meeting with Christ. In other words God surprised her. And here is the lesson to us. For much of our living

6 today pressurises into being purely material and materialistic. Yet that means being closed to the spiritual closed to the encounter closed to meeting the risen Jesus in the most unlikely of places and times. However, on the other hand, if we are to be true to the hope of Easter, we must struggle to be awake, fight to be observant and be expectant of the unexpected. In other words, we must spy Jesus out

7 in his hiding place. This was certainly the experience of Kathleen OSullivan in her book Light out of our darkness Since she recalls the time she was ministering somewhere in the midlands of England. She went into a fish and chip shop for her evening meal. She recalls standing in a queue of people who had huddled into themselves against the bitterly cold night outside. All they wanted was to get their food and get home.

8 Suddenly, the door opened and a gentleman of the road entered. The crowd pulled away from him and a figure of authority appeared. She remembered all this happened in a very well mannered way. But the vagrant had enough for a cup of tea and some chips. He seemed at ease in the unease around him. Kathleen got her packet and as she left she looked at the man.

9 Then in an instant, her world reeled before her. For, she saw the eyes that had seen Peter She saw also his smile of recognition. As she pulled the door closed behind her, she wondered how often she had walked past Christ and not recognised him. Here then is a modern day account of the Mary Magdalene story. Here is someone hearing Christ call her name. Here was an opportunity

10 to look for God in someone you would least expect. Here indeed was the chance glimpsing of Jesus out from cover for just a second. However, such sighting events spell out more than just having good visual skills. For if we do look for Jesus not so much in unexpected places but in unexpected guises, then we open ourselves not just to the meeting but the commanding and the doing.

11 Which brings me to asking Well I found this story on my face book page this week... have you ever heard of a suspended coffee before.

We enter a little coffeehouse with a friend of mine and give our order. While we're approaching our table two people come in and they went to the counter: 'Five coffees, please. Two of them for us and three suspended' They pay for their order, take the two and leave.

12 I ask my friend: "What are those 'suspended' coffees?" My friend: "Wait for it and you will see." Some more people enter. Two girls ask for one coffee each, pay and go. The next order was for seven coffees and it was made by three lawyers three for them and four 'suspended'. While I still wonder what's the deal with those 'suspended' coffees I enjoy the sunny weather and the beautiful view

13 towards the square in front of the caf. Suddenly a man dressed in shabby clothes who looks like a beggar comes in through the door and kindly asks 'Do you have a suspended coffee ?' It's simple people pay in advance for a coffee meant for someone who can not afford a warm bevarage. The tradition with the suspended coffees started in Naples, but it has spread all over the world

14 and in some places you can order not only a suspended coffee, but also a sandwich or a whole meal.

If then this Easter time, we follow the way of Mary and are open to wondering, then let us look for Christ is those who are in need, those we often discount, those we least think are in the image of an all powerful God. Let us be alive to our own dependence on Jesus and His unexpected prompting to help the tiny.

15 Because then alone are we ready to be surprised but also in turn to surprise and even delight. Amen