We are gathered today on the occupied territory of the Sana and Tonkawa People, who have stewarded this land for generations.
Call to Worship
Thomas said:
“Unless I see the mark of the nails
and put my hand in his side,
I will not believe.”
We are often skeptical people,
driven by our senses,
relying on that which we can hear, see or prove.
Our Lord asks us to see the invisible,
to trust in the spirit, to have faith.
Lord, give us faith!
Sometimes we get carried away by our emotions,
by wishful thinking
and by popular trends that pull us in.
Lord, help us to be bold in our beliefs,
but also careful as Thomas was.
Move us beyond mere trust in ordinary things
and open our eyes for spiritual realities.
Jesus said: “Blessed are those who have not seen
and yet have come to believe.”
Amen.
Opening song – Alleluia! Christ is Arisen!
Alleluia! Christ is arisen.
Bright is the dawning of the Lord’s day.
Run, faithful women, to the grave-side.
Marvel, the stone is rolled away!
Hear from the angel, “He is risen.”
Christ goes before you all the way.
Alleluia! Christ is arisen.
Bright is the dawning of the Lord’s day.
Rise, Magdalena, from your weeping;
Christ stands before your very eyes.
Quickly return to the disciples;
bear the good news: “He is alive.”
Alleluia! Christ is arisen.
Bright is the dawning of the Lord’s day.
Gather, disciples, in the evening:
suddenly Christ your Lord appears.
“Look, it is I, your wounded Savior.
Peace be with you, and do not fear.”
Alleluia! Christ is arisen.
Bright is the dawning of the Lord’s day.
Thomas, where were you on that evening?
“I’ll not believe unless I see.”
Christ comes again, and ev’ry Lord’s day:
“Touch me and see; have faith in me.”
Alleluia! Christ is arisen.
Bright is the dawning of the Lord’s day.
Prayer
In spite of our doubts,
may we recognize you in our midst:
wounded, bloody, and resurrected
in spite of our doubts,
may we know when we come face to face
with the love that is greater than all deaths
in spite of our doubts,
may we reach out to touch the wounds of the world’s pain
trusting that when grace and love surround them
they will become part of Christ’s resurrected body.
and in spite of our doubts,
may we live as though we are, too.
Reading: John 20:19-31
19 It was still the first day of the week. That evening, while the disciples were behind closed doors because they were afraid of the Jewish authorities, Jesus came and stood among them. He said, “Peace be with you.” 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. When the disciples saw the Lord, they were filled with joy. 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father sent me, so I am sending you.” 22 Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven; if you don’t forgive them, they aren’t forgiven.” 24 Thomas, the one called Didymus, one of the Twelve, wasn’t with the disciples when Jesus came. 25 The other disciples told him, “We’ve seen the Lord!” But he replied, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands, put my finger in the wounds left by the nails, and put my hand into his side, I won’t believe.” 26 After eight days his disciples were again in a house and Thomas was with them. Even though the doors were locked, Jesus entered and stood among them. He said, “Peace be with you.” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here. Look at my hands. Put your hand into my side. No more disbelief. Believe!” 28 Thomas responded to Jesus, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus replied, “Do you believe because you see me? Happy are those who don’t see and yet believe.” 30 Then Jesus did many other miraculous signs in his disciples’ presence, signs that aren’t recorded in this scroll. 31 But these things are written so that you will believe that Jesus is the Christ, God’s Son, and that believing, you will have life in his name.
Reflection
Song – We Walk by Faith
We walk by faith and not by sight;
with gracious words draw near,
O Christ, who spoke as none e’er spoke:
“My peace be with you here.”
We may not touch your hands and side,
nor follow where you trod;
but in your promise we rejoice,
and cry, “My Lord and God!”
Help then, O Lord, our unbelief;
and may our faith abound
to call on you when you are near
and seek where you are found:
For you, O resurrected Lord,
are found in means divine:
beneath the water and the word,
beneath the bread and wine.
And when our life of faith is done,
in realms of clearer light
we may behold you as you are,
with full and endless sight.
Prayers
Communion
Closing Song – Go My Children with My Blessing
Go, my children, with my blessing, Never alone.
Waking, sleeping, I am with you; You are my own.
In my love’s baptismal river
I have made you mine forever.
Go, my children, with my blessing – You are my own.
Go, my children, sins forgiven, At peace and pure.
Here you learned how much I love you, What I can cure.
Here you heard my dear Son’s story;
Here you touched him, saw his glory.
Go, my children, sins forgiven, At peace and pure.
Go, my children, fed and nourished, Closer to me;
Grow in love and love by serving, Joyful and free.
Here my Spirit’s power filled you;
Here his tender comfort stilled you.
Go, my children, fed and nourished, Joyful and free.
I the Lord will bless and keep you And give you peace;
I the Lord will smile upon you And give you peace;
I the Lord will be your Father,
Savior, Comforter, and Brother.
Go, my children; I will keep you And give you peace.
Blessing
have you ever noticed
that it is the space that holds everything we believe
it is the gap
the lacuna
the void
in which we place everything we fundamentally believe
in that space
the emptiness
of tombs
lies the fullness of our faith
and in such spaces
we believe
when the void is found
the emptiness of the tomb is met
it is then we trust resurrection
and that what Jesus said
is true
we remember what he told us
and believe
it’s kind of obvious that you need
an empty tomb for resurrection
but you need that emptiness
to have a full faith
filled with hope
and possibility
and what might be
so may we step into this emptiness
and believe
the life Jesus spoke of might be true
the love he held to might be true
the words he spoke might be true
because there is only space
where death ought to be
this possibility of life
this resurrection of spirit
in every empty space
is our new hope
go and believe into the void
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