Saturday, April 22, 2023

April 18, 2023 - Second Sunday of Easter - Who were the Doubting Disciples and What were they Doubting?

The second Sunday of Easter and right after Easter we are encounter doubt. Not just Thomas' doubt but the disciples' doubt and our doubt. For as Pastor Steve preached all the disciple's doubted. They were behind a locked door.  

We may want not to doubt but this defies what we experience in our daily lives to such an extent that it is hard to impossible never to doubt. Perhaps eliminating doubt is not the point. The mystery of the risen Christ turns and turns in our minds and resolves differently, at least for me, at different stages of our lives.

Today I examined many details in the story of Thomas. As I read this John text today I see Thomas did not really doubt the power or person of Jesus like we are lead to beleive. Rather he doubted the story his friends told him about the appearance. And who wouldn't? Certainly the moral of this story of Thomas should not be to trust and believe in everything anybody tells you.

The other detail I reflected on today is that Thomas is initially not in the locked room. He is on his own. He is showing courage, likely on some errand for the group. He would not be just out for a walk but is  out for a purpose. The purpose must have been imperative and important for him to be out with the fear that was obvious in the others. The details of his story are not be as simple as they appear on the surface. 

This second Sunday of Easter comes at interesting juncture of Creator's life as a congregation. The congregation met Emillie Binja for the first time yesterday. She is the candidate we will vote on next Sunday to become our pastor At the Meet and Greet yesterday she was honest about the doubts she has experienced leading up to this moment. Doubts about her call, about whether Creator's Call Committee felt the same way about her in our initial zoom meeting that she felt. about us.

Her honesty and willingness to be vulnerable about all this was in keeping with our previous conversations. She impressed the Call Committee with these qualities. Rather than trying to impress us with her faith, knowledge and experience, she uses every opportunity to know who she truly is. Last Saturday's gathering was a karios moment as a result.

 The more we understand the complexity of Biblical stories like these the more we understand our common humanity. I used to think of the ending as a reprimand of how Thomas behaved - that he should have believed. Now I see it as a reminder not to put anyone on a pedestal. Or belief who have not "seen" is as blessed as those who did.

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November 22, 2023 - Thanksgiving Eve Worship - Haudenosaunee Thanksgiving Address - 40th Anniversary of Restoration of Tribal Recognition

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