Rector's Sermon - Sunday, April 7, 2002

First Reading	Psalm	Epistle	Gospel
Acts 2;14A, 22-23	116:1-11	I Peter 1:3-9	John 20:19-31

     The lessons immediately after Easter remind us that the resurrection was not like a shot of powerful emotional euphoria that gave the early disciples a permanent mountain top experience, complete with mental clarity and unambiguous purpose. The presence of the living Jesus among them, came and went. Appreciation for what had happened during the traumatic events of Holy Week and God's raising of Jesus from the dead, was a gradual, not an instant process.

     From today's Gospel, it is obvious that the implications of Easter are just beginning to be apparent. There is a promise of more astonishing signs and revelations to come. For the moment, many of the disciples are back together, but they are behind locked doors, and they continue to be very much afraid. Jesus does come among them, and their spirits are lifted, but when his presence is no longer sensed, plenty of questions remain.

     Thomas has been away. He returns and joins fellow disciples who share the news that Jesus is alive. Yet Thomas still senses an ambivalence among them, that only attenuates a gnawing pain within himself. Thomas knows that he remains an outsider. He must live a while with his pain, for it is several days or maybe even weeks later, that he experiences the presence of the living Christ. Thomas does indeed discover the joy of resurrection, but not like a sudden flash of lightening that was guaranteed to happen as soon as he walked through the upper room door.

     Jesus never reproves Thomas for not being one of the first witnesses of the resurrection. Jesus never says to him "Well, if you had been here instead of out taking a walk around the Mount of Olives, you would have known what was going on much sooner and been spared all your doubts." If anything, Jesus says "Blessed are those who seem to be on the outside or who seem to be last in line." Jesus reached out to outsiders like Thomas and welcomed them in. I suspect Jesus is also telling the first disciples, make sure that your initial euphoria or your new found joy does not belittle or add to someone else's' struggle to sense what you already have come to believe.

     The Easter season is not just a big therapy session to make everyone who celebrates it, feel really good. Easter also sends us from our cozy spots, to outsiders, and always keeps before us those who are left out or on the edges, still waiting and wondering.

     On the few nice days of the past couple weeks, when the sun warmed up, I wished I could have dropped everything and gone fishing. I've even thought of where I would like to go camping this summer. Of all the disciples, it is Thomas whom I'd most like to have along on a fishing trip, especially in early spring when the warm sun can quickly be covered by clouds, bringing a gale of icy snow; causing you to wonder why you ever ventured out so early in the season. Thomas is the one who would understand your lack of success. Thomas would approve if you wished to move on to the next pool, not because you think there are any fish in it, but just because it is more protected from the wind, and there are some nice logs to sit on while opening a thermos of hot coffee. Thomas would understand if cooking lunch suddenly became more attractive than casting over the water.

     Thomas is the disciple who reminds us that Easter does not just call us to gather and rejoice in the warmth here inside, but to have some concern and patience for those who are still looking for signs of real spring or who become discouraged when a snow squall covers up the nascent warmth of the sun. Thomas would never have made fun of my lack of success at fishing or slowness at discovering what many people around me already knew. Thomas is really the disciple for many of us, and is why, I suspect, it is a blessing his memory is honored right after the euphoria of Easter Sunday.

      And I offer this to you in the name of our Living God, Amen