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!”

John 20 : 19

Reading for this week : John 20 : 19 - 31

Thought for the week

I’ve always felt Thomas suffers from a bad press. It probably wasn’t his fault he wasn’t with the other disciples when Jesus appeared to them on the evening of the Resurrection. Yet because he wasn’t there he had time to hear about it, and consider just what Jesus’ Resurrection meant.

Maybe Thomas knew more than anyone just what Jesus’ victory means. A change in reality of who Jesus is. A whole new meaning of what it means to belong to Jesus and to follow Him. A whole new way of life based on a relationship with the living Lord. The forgiveness of sins and freedom from the fear of death.

No wonder, perhaps, Thomas wanted to make certain. And when he meets with the Risen Jesus, he declares the greatest statement of faith in the whole of the New Testament, “My Lord and My God!”.

As we continue our celebration of Jesus’ resurrection we’re now called to live out the true impact of Jesus the Risen Lord. The change from despair to hope, bitterness to forgiveness, hatred to love, suffering to joy. Christ is Risen, and we are called now to live as His forgiven and hope – filled, Spirit - led people.

Rev Paul

A Prayer for this week

Christ, you are risen with the sun;

you are light in darkness, warmth in our cold.

You are peace and hope and joy,

for you went willingly to death.

You turned defeat and failure to victory for all.

You live eternally

and with you all the living and the dead

who trust in you.

May we who in baptism die to sin,

rise again to new life

and find our true place in your living body.

May the covenant sealed in your blood

through us bring healing and reconciliation

to this wounded world.

Alleluia!

You are risen.

We are risen with you.

Praise and glory to the living God!