Homily for Easter II


St John's, Centralia is one of those small preach-from-the-aisle congregations, so all I can give you here is my working outline. You can probably flesh it out mentally.

John 20:19-31
St John’s, Centralia


“Low” Sunday

Jesus’ disciples felt “low” too on the evening of the first Easter Day—then they saw the Lord (but not Thomas)

We’re tempted to be envious of them (lamenting our weak faith) … they have “eyes on”, we have doubts

Thomas had doubts too, and while, with 20/20 hindsight, it may be easy to judge him, if we’re honest, Thomas is the one we identify with

Thomas is also our hero … not because of any wisdom or great faith

Why? Because he showed up. (Quote Woody Allen) He had no motivation to keep hanging out with the other disciples, because, as far as he know, who were they disciples of?

But Thomas showed up anyway … and *that* was his act of faith, and that faith was rewarded by an encounter with the Risen Christ

We can’t be the 11, but we can be Thomas … we can show up … doing the same thing Sunday after Sunday … in the hope of being rewarded as Thomas was, sooner for some, later for others

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