A Poem a Sunday

Easter 2 –A

April 23, 2017

John 20:19-31 - New International Version

Jesus Appears to His Disciples

19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.

21 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” 22 And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

Jesus Appears to Thomas

24 Now Thomas (also known as Didymus[a]), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”

28 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”

29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

The Purpose of John’s Gospel

30 Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31 But these are written that you may believe[b] that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Footnotes:

John 20:24 Thomas (Aramaic) and Didymus (Greek) both mean twin.

John 20:31 Or may continue to believe

A Poem a Sunday

Easter 2 – A

Didymus

(May be sung to the Tune: Noel Nouvelet

 11 10 10 11 – “Now the Green Blade Rises”)

Thomas doubted Jesus on that frightful night,

fleeing from his likeness in a fearful flight.

Doubt comes again when we do not depend

on God’s grace and mercy healing in the end.

Twin of the dear Savior he had every right

to hide from his neighbor on that fateful night.

Christ did appear midst doubt and great fear.

Thomas went in hiding although grace was near.

Even though he doubted Thomas braved the dark

that revealed Messiah and the stigmata scars.

Christ comes again who with the dead has been

sealing and revealing mercy without end.

We are twins of Jesus and will never part

from God’s loving presence, from the divine heart.

Raised to new life the living God now saves

all of the creation from the dusty grave.

Words by Kenneth R. Storck

Copyright @ A Poem a Sunday

May be used with permission

Contact: kennstorck@gmail.com