FAITH - MORE THAN A FIVE LETTER WORD
SECOND SUNDAY OF EASTER
APRIL 19, 2020
Christ is risen!
Christ is risen indeed!
Though we find ourselves isolated in homes, apartments, and residential places,
yet, we would listen to the birds singing,
reminding us that the whole creation
rejoices in the love of our God.
Though we cannot reach out and touch
our friends and neighbors,
we would rejoice that Jesus is in our midst,
holding out hands of grace and hope to us!
Though we have to stand at a safe distance
from others, whispering hello through masks,
we know that the Spirit is all around us,
breathing peace on us in these moments,
surrounding us with grace and hope.
Morning Prayer
Holy One, You have made known to us the ways of life
and have promised to fill us with the gladness of Your presence.
Keep us mindful of Your guidance and Your promise as we travel
through this day and week, that our hearts may be glad.
We pray in this moment that You would send Your Holy Spirit
upon us as we read Your Holy Word that it may serve to show
us the path of life and lead us into Your presence. Amen.
In this moment, close your eyes and open your hearts to God’s Word.
Lessons For The Day
Act 2:14a, 22-32 John 20:19-31
Homily
The readings for the second Sunday of Easter feel like a bit of a time warp between two distinct periods in history.
The Gospel of John is told in real-time, as we witness the disciples
on the evening of Easter Sunday sequestered in an upper room in great fear.
In the Acts of the Apostles, the writer provides a historical account of the resurrection of the Lord to inspire future generations of His great witness and presence among us.
In order to grasp the Lord’s presence following the crucifixion,
human senses must be employed, followed by a great dose of faith.
We are amid a world-wide challenge at the moment,
as people everywhere worry about the effects of the coronavirus on their communities. There are strong recommendations from medical experts
that require a dynamic shift, affecting the way we use our senses.
“Don’t touch your face” is an often-repeated admonition.
If you see anyone sneezing or coughing, be intentional about stepping away from them.
In church, you may need to forego the taste of wine or juice for a while and experience the Holy Eucharist through bread alone.
Try elbow bumps instead of shaking hands.
So many familiar customs are being replaced, at least temporarily. All these measures are designed to keep as many people as possible healthy and free of the virus.
The Easter story is one that challenges the senses as well. The disciples still cannot believe their eyes when they go to the tomb and find it empty. After Mary Magdalene saw that the stone had been rolled away, she was struggling to understand what had happened. She saw a man standing in front of her, offering solace, but blinded by her tears, she couldn’t see who it was. Once she heard the Lord’s voice, she was able to tell the others of His resurrection.
The sighting and reporting were not enough for the men; Simon Peter and another disciple decided to go and see the tomb for themselves. Sure enough, just as Mary had said, the tomb was empty, save the linens in which Jesus had been wrapped. They could see and feel the material that had clothed the Savior three days prior, but that was it. No doubt they could still smell the fragrances from the spices used when placing Jesus in the tomb. All their senses, however, could not deter their sensibilities that something worse had happened to Jesus – and they were afraid that something awful was imminent for them, as well. Yet what can be worse than death?
Thankfully for all of us, Jesus does not allow the story to end there. With four simple words, Jesus sets to comfort and reassure the group that they are going to be alright and that they are not alone.
“Peace be with you,”
were the words they heard as Jesus appeared before them.
Understanding that their faith was shaky, Jesus shows them the wounds in His hands and side. He breathed on them and gave them the gift of the Holy Spirit. Christ went to His people to let them know that they had not been abandoned.
Except that is for the Apostle Thomas, he missed the whole thing with Jesus. So, as they recounted it to him, it sounded especially fantastical.
He just could not believe that the Lord had somehow been returned
to them physically, even if only for a brief moment.
Many people struggle with the continuing presence of Jesus following His resurrection and, like Thomas, are always looking for proof.
The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is reported to have said, “Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.”
Jesus appeared again in that small room where the disciples were gathered to make a point of visiting Thomas.
When our hearts are open, we are able to receive the presence of the risen Christ. The Lord God is with us in the happiest times and the darkest moments.
We can bear witness to the living God because of those who saw Him. The disciples attested to the resurrected Jesus,
first by their confusion at the tomb,
and then by providing evidence of the resurrected Christ
through His two visits.
They were able to tell others about the wounds in His body.
Even Doubting Thomas could tell the story,
because Jesus ensured that His wondering friend had the proof
that he needed in order to fully believe.
Faith, is more than a five-letter word.
It requires the use of our senses.
It requires us to hear God and to feel the Holy Spirit within us.
The faith that Jesus tried to inspire in His disciples is the same faith God wishes for His modern-day followers.
While we may never personally see the marks imposed by those
awful nails, we know through faith that Jesus rose from the dead
to save us.
Jesus lived among us, fully knowing us and loving us in the most human terms. Crucifixion led to the salvation of all believers.
As resurrection people, faith is what guides us to live the kind of lives that Jesus envisioned when He preached. He spoke about love and forgiveness and motivated
His disciples to preach that message of deliverance to everyone.
Through all the messengers over the centuries beginning with the first disciples, we the faithful in time now have the ability to trust God wants the very best for us.
There is also the recognition that we all will fall short of the goal sometimes; everyone has a Thomas moment.
Doubt sets in occasionally for the most devout of us.
Moments of anxiety such as the time we are living in can lead to questioning the very existence of God.
In times of death, it can be difficult to hold on to the promise of eternal life with Christ.
God hears the cries of His people and will always endeavor to make His presence known. The forgiving God remains present for as long as it takes the skeptic to believe and to receive the gift of grace.
God offers the opportunity every day to begin anew.
Doubting Thomas is a reminder that God understands those who question what happened to Jesus after He was placed in the tomb.
Like King David who said,
“You will make me full of gladness with Your presence,”
the message going forward is that it is beautiful when we can believe what we have not seen.
Faith is a potent source of power, especially in times of
fear and uncertainty.
In his sermon to the community, Peter recounted the extraordinary resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
He died and was placed in a tomb like an ordinary human.
Yet Jesus was no ordinary man and the tomb was not
His final destination.
On the third day, Jesus was raised from the dead by God.
Christ visited with the disciples for them to carry the news of the death
and triumphant victory over the grave to the rest of humanity.
As we continue to celebrate these great fifty days of Easter,
we are encouraged to leave our rooms of fear,
wrap ourselves in the love of the risen Christ,
and boldly proclaim that Jesus is alive and will be with us
until the end of the ages. Amen.
Prayer And Lord’s Prayer
Though our lives seem so lonely and empty these days,
yet there is the sun in the morning, the moon and stars at night,
the wonder of creation unfolding before our eyes and hearts,
reminding us that we have nothing apart from You, God of Easter.
When we need to maintain boundaries and safe distancing,
when we realize how much we miss human touch, You invite us to
touch Your loneliness with our own, Your sorrow and scars with our
own, Brother of our souls.
When we find ourselves huddling in the locked rooms of our hearts,
the doors and shutters of our souls securing us from the fears that
are outside, You come, Spirit of hope, to breathe peace upon us, to always surround us with hope, to never abandon us to our loneliness.
Holy in One, remind us we are never, ever, apart from You, even as we pray as we are taught,
Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
Sending
Trust and love the Christ you cannot see and let that bring you joy,
for that faith will bring the salvation of your soul.
May the God who loves and resurrects us give you a goodly portion
of the Holy Spirit and new birth into a living hope.
May God’s peace be with all us until we gather together again.
SECOND SUNDAY OF EASTER
APRIL 19, 2020
Christ is risen!
Christ is risen indeed!
Though we find ourselves isolated in homes, apartments, and residential places,
yet, we would listen to the birds singing,
reminding us that the whole creation
rejoices in the love of our God.
Though we cannot reach out and touch
our friends and neighbors,
we would rejoice that Jesus is in our midst,
holding out hands of grace and hope to us!
Though we have to stand at a safe distance
from others, whispering hello through masks,
we know that the Spirit is all around us,
breathing peace on us in these moments,
surrounding us with grace and hope.
Morning Prayer
Holy One, You have made known to us the ways of life
and have promised to fill us with the gladness of Your presence.
Keep us mindful of Your guidance and Your promise as we travel
through this day and week, that our hearts may be glad.
We pray in this moment that You would send Your Holy Spirit
upon us as we read Your Holy Word that it may serve to show
us the path of life and lead us into Your presence. Amen.
In this moment, close your eyes and open your hearts to God’s Word.
Lessons For The Day
Act 2:14a, 22-32 John 20:19-31
Homily
The readings for the second Sunday of Easter feel like a bit of a time warp between two distinct periods in history.
The Gospel of John is told in real-time, as we witness the disciples
on the evening of Easter Sunday sequestered in an upper room in great fear.
In the Acts of the Apostles, the writer provides a historical account of the resurrection of the Lord to inspire future generations of His great witness and presence among us.
In order to grasp the Lord’s presence following the crucifixion,
human senses must be employed, followed by a great dose of faith.
We are amid a world-wide challenge at the moment,
as people everywhere worry about the effects of the coronavirus on their communities. There are strong recommendations from medical experts
that require a dynamic shift, affecting the way we use our senses.
“Don’t touch your face” is an often-repeated admonition.
If you see anyone sneezing or coughing, be intentional about stepping away from them.
In church, you may need to forego the taste of wine or juice for a while and experience the Holy Eucharist through bread alone.
Try elbow bumps instead of shaking hands.
So many familiar customs are being replaced, at least temporarily. All these measures are designed to keep as many people as possible healthy and free of the virus.
The Easter story is one that challenges the senses as well. The disciples still cannot believe their eyes when they go to the tomb and find it empty. After Mary Magdalene saw that the stone had been rolled away, she was struggling to understand what had happened. She saw a man standing in front of her, offering solace, but blinded by her tears, she couldn’t see who it was. Once she heard the Lord’s voice, she was able to tell the others of His resurrection.
The sighting and reporting were not enough for the men; Simon Peter and another disciple decided to go and see the tomb for themselves. Sure enough, just as Mary had said, the tomb was empty, save the linens in which Jesus had been wrapped. They could see and feel the material that had clothed the Savior three days prior, but that was it. No doubt they could still smell the fragrances from the spices used when placing Jesus in the tomb. All their senses, however, could not deter their sensibilities that something worse had happened to Jesus – and they were afraid that something awful was imminent for them, as well. Yet what can be worse than death?
Thankfully for all of us, Jesus does not allow the story to end there. With four simple words, Jesus sets to comfort and reassure the group that they are going to be alright and that they are not alone.
“Peace be with you,”
were the words they heard as Jesus appeared before them.
Understanding that their faith was shaky, Jesus shows them the wounds in His hands and side. He breathed on them and gave them the gift of the Holy Spirit. Christ went to His people to let them know that they had not been abandoned.
Except that is for the Apostle Thomas, he missed the whole thing with Jesus. So, as they recounted it to him, it sounded especially fantastical.
He just could not believe that the Lord had somehow been returned
to them physically, even if only for a brief moment.
Many people struggle with the continuing presence of Jesus following His resurrection and, like Thomas, are always looking for proof.
The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is reported to have said, “Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.”
Jesus appeared again in that small room where the disciples were gathered to make a point of visiting Thomas.
When our hearts are open, we are able to receive the presence of the risen Christ. The Lord God is with us in the happiest times and the darkest moments.
We can bear witness to the living God because of those who saw Him. The disciples attested to the resurrected Jesus,
first by their confusion at the tomb,
and then by providing evidence of the resurrected Christ
through His two visits.
They were able to tell others about the wounds in His body.
Even Doubting Thomas could tell the story,
because Jesus ensured that His wondering friend had the proof
that he needed in order to fully believe.
Faith, is more than a five-letter word.
It requires the use of our senses.
It requires us to hear God and to feel the Holy Spirit within us.
The faith that Jesus tried to inspire in His disciples is the same faith God wishes for His modern-day followers.
While we may never personally see the marks imposed by those
awful nails, we know through faith that Jesus rose from the dead
to save us.
Jesus lived among us, fully knowing us and loving us in the most human terms. Crucifixion led to the salvation of all believers.
As resurrection people, faith is what guides us to live the kind of lives that Jesus envisioned when He preached. He spoke about love and forgiveness and motivated
His disciples to preach that message of deliverance to everyone.
Through all the messengers over the centuries beginning with the first disciples, we the faithful in time now have the ability to trust God wants the very best for us.
There is also the recognition that we all will fall short of the goal sometimes; everyone has a Thomas moment.
Doubt sets in occasionally for the most devout of us.
Moments of anxiety such as the time we are living in can lead to questioning the very existence of God.
In times of death, it can be difficult to hold on to the promise of eternal life with Christ.
God hears the cries of His people and will always endeavor to make His presence known. The forgiving God remains present for as long as it takes the skeptic to believe and to receive the gift of grace.
God offers the opportunity every day to begin anew.
Doubting Thomas is a reminder that God understands those who question what happened to Jesus after He was placed in the tomb.
Like King David who said,
“You will make me full of gladness with Your presence,”
the message going forward is that it is beautiful when we can believe what we have not seen.
Faith is a potent source of power, especially in times of
fear and uncertainty.
In his sermon to the community, Peter recounted the extraordinary resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
He died and was placed in a tomb like an ordinary human.
Yet Jesus was no ordinary man and the tomb was not
His final destination.
On the third day, Jesus was raised from the dead by God.
Christ visited with the disciples for them to carry the news of the death
and triumphant victory over the grave to the rest of humanity.
As we continue to celebrate these great fifty days of Easter,
we are encouraged to leave our rooms of fear,
wrap ourselves in the love of the risen Christ,
and boldly proclaim that Jesus is alive and will be with us
until the end of the ages. Amen.
Prayer And Lord’s Prayer
Though our lives seem so lonely and empty these days,
yet there is the sun in the morning, the moon and stars at night,
the wonder of creation unfolding before our eyes and hearts,
reminding us that we have nothing apart from You, God of Easter.
When we need to maintain boundaries and safe distancing,
when we realize how much we miss human touch, You invite us to
touch Your loneliness with our own, Your sorrow and scars with our
own, Brother of our souls.
When we find ourselves huddling in the locked rooms of our hearts,
the doors and shutters of our souls securing us from the fears that
are outside, You come, Spirit of hope, to breathe peace upon us, to always surround us with hope, to never abandon us to our loneliness.
Holy in One, remind us we are never, ever, apart from You, even as we pray as we are taught,
Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
Sending
Trust and love the Christ you cannot see and let that bring you joy,
for that faith will bring the salvation of your soul.
May the God who loves and resurrects us give you a goodly portion
of the Holy Spirit and new birth into a living hope.
May God’s peace be with all us until we gather together again.