Barbara Brown Taylor suggests that the disciple, known to many of us as “Doubting Thomas,” was likely not any less trusting than others. When Mary Magdalene ran to tell Peter and another disciple that Jesus wasn’t in his tomb, they didn’t believe her. They ran to see for themselves.
When Jesus came back to the house where the disciples were hiding, they believed because they saw him for themselves. Thomas was singled out because he wasn’t there. He didn’t get to see anything. He wasn’t trying to decide whether or not he believed Jesus had risen from the dead. He was trying to decide whether or not he believed what the other disciples told him. His trust issue wasn’t with Jesus. It was with his brothers.
Taylor says that in preparing a sermon, she asked some folks, who knew the Thomas story, what they thought about him. They said the same thing: they know they’re supposed to disapprove of Thomas, but they don’t. They like his honesty. They know where he’s coming from. Where might each of us imagine ourselves in this story, and what grounds our belief?
The scripture passages for this Sunday invite us to reflect on this. The first lesson arises from a Psalm 150 and will be read by Kathy Scheid. The second lesson, from the Gospels (based on John 20:19-31) will be read by Nicholas and Suzanne Ingalsbe.
In worship, we will first gather and greet one another. All children are invited to ring us into worship with the bells. Reverend Chuck Foster will deliver the pastoral prayer. The Chancel Choir, directed by Gerry Sousa and accompanied by Lois Leong, will lead us in music. There will also be a Children’s Moment and a moment of sharing about our upcoming Vacation Bible School. We will pray and reflect. The sermon title is “Believing, Seeing and Nurturing Hope and Possibility.”