A Poem a Sunday

Second Sunday of Easter

April 3, 2016

Commentary:  Celebrate 'Doubting Thomas Sunday' by preaching about faith. Doubt is not the opposite of faith.  Thomas's faith is strengthened by his doubt. He ends up being the first disciple to confess his faith in the resurrected Christ. Doubt is to be commended, not condemned. 

John 20:19-31 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Jesus Appears to the Disciples

19 When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” 22 When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

Jesus and Thomas

24 But Thomas (who was called the Twin[a]), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.”

26 A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.” 28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”

The Purpose of This Book

30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. 31 But these are written so that you may come to believe[b] that Jesus is the Messiah,[c] the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.

Footnotes:

John 20:24 Gk Didymus

John 20:31 Other ancient authorities read may continue to believe

John 20:31 Or the Christ

A Poem a Sunday

Second Sunday of Easter

April 3, 2016

Know Doubt

No doubt:

Thomas was not the

only one although

not present he had

good reasons.

But I imagine

each disciple

in his heart

had deep doubt.

Doubt is not unbelief.

I know no saint

free of doubt.

But each one entered

into their questions

unanswered and

took the dark journey

into doubt.

Know doubt for

it is the catalyst

for faith.

Know doubt

and learn from the dark.

Faith thrives

in the

quest.

No doubt:

“Thank you, Thomas!

The first to confess

the living Christ

because you dared

to know doubt.”

March 29, 2016

‘A Poem a Sunday’ copyright kennstorck@gmail.com