For Sunday, April
11, 2021, Readings:
Acts 4:32-35, Psalm 133, 1 John 1:1-2:2, John
20:19-31
With great power the
apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and a
great grace was upon them all. [Acts 4:33]
Oh how good and
pleasant it is, when brethren live together in unity! [Psalm 133:1]
...if we walk in the
light, as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and
the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us all from sin. [1 John 1:7]
But Thomas...was not with them when Jesus came....[and] he said
to them, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my
finger in his side, I will not believe..." [Jesus] said to him, "Have
you [now] believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not
seen and yet have come to believe." [John
20:24, 25b, 29]
Thomas, the ultimate skeptic, carries the load for those among
us who are reluctant to admit to doubts about faith, questions about God, or
wondering about events recalled in the Bible. By the way, the other
Apostles also doubted briefly [see Luke 24:1-12] ~
so we who have had our own doubts are all in good company. And the company
we are in is also the point ~ those who knew Jesus in their own lifetimes came
together as a faith community sharing joy, fellowship, and the necessities of
life as followers before and after Christ's Resurrection. Then, and in many
succeeding generations, those we speak of as early Christians
faced tremendous fear and the reality of vicious persecution as many
Christians, and many members of other faith traditions, still do today. The
continuous re-telling and re-living of our story keeps us connected by
remembering the why of our faith even in those moments of
faint acceptance or unbelief.
Easter, however, isn't
merely a day or a season, it is meant to be our way of life, as Easter
People. From the beginning of Advent we are preparing the way for and
seeking the glory and joy of the Resurrection, achieved through the great
sacrifice and pain that we have experienced through the readings of Holy Week
and, Good Friday in particular.
While the penitential season of Lent has
given way to the joy of Easter, we are to continue to re-examine the manner in
which we live our lives through our thoughts, words, and actions with and for
everyone we meet. It is in fellowship that we remember, walk in, and reflect
the light he himself is in, with peace and the Holy Spirit
within us.
In these still confusing and
difficult times, let us work together to keep and dispense Christ’s
message of Peace be with you, as we strive for unity and
love wherever we are. Despite deep divisions among humans, and our own more or
less occasional doubts, through our companioning and fellowship with one
another, God's truth within us, and living in Christ's name, we can rise along
with Chris and each other to new heights of faith ~ undoubtedly! And oh
how good and pleasant it is!
LET
US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY
Leader: ~
Holy Christ, our Lord and our Messiah, release us from the
stifling darkness of the sin and doubt of our own making, to accept the
cleansing of our souls by Your Resurrection that bolsters our faith and
fellowship in Your name, through every facet of life.
Jesus, Light and Peace of God
RESPONSE: Raise us to new heights
in Faith
~
Holy Christ, our Lord and our Messiah, awaken Your great grace within us and especially in all the Lawmakers of our World, our
Country, and our Community. Activate a deep desire to pursue unity in peace,
health, and well-being, so that no one, anywhere, is further ravaged by
disease, poverty, war, or any desperate need. We pray especially
for: add your own petitions
Jesus, Light and Peace of God
Raise
us to new heights in Faith
~
Holy Christ, our Lord and our Messiah, grant Your healing touch of hope and love to soothe and
comfort all who are unwell in body, mind, or spirit, and all who give them care
We now join our hearts together to pray for those in need… add your own petitions
Jesus, Light and Peace of God
Raise
us to new heights in Faith
~
Holy Christ, our Lord and our Messiah, You are
Risen Indeed as are all of our faith-filled departed, who now shine in the
glory of life everlasting with You. We pray especially for… add your own petitions
Jesus, Light and Peace of God
Raise
us to new heights in Faith
~
Holy Christ, our Lord and our Messiah, we pause in this moment to offer You our
other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and memorials… add your own petitions
Jesus, Light and Peace of God
Raise
us to new heights in Faith
~
Holy Christ, our Lord and our Messiah, infuse Your
anointed Disciples with an abundance of spiritual oxygen, to fill us all with
the fresh air of Your Presence within and among us, lifting our purpose daily,
and carrying us on the current of Your limitless love. We pray
especially for: add your own petitions
Jesus, Light and Peace of God
Raise
us to new heights in Faith
The Celebrant adds: Holy
Jesus, Risen Lord, guide us to see with new
eyes, to love with new hearts, and to hope with
new faith that we, as Easter People, open ourselves to new life,
unburdened by doubt, radiating Your Light from within. We ask through You, our
Glorious Redeemer; and the Holy Spirit, our soul’s Wisdom, who together with
God, our Almighty Creator, live and reign now and forever. Amen.
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