As we gather, we recognize that we
live, work, pray, and play in the traditional,
unceded lands of the Cowichan Tribes and Coast Salish People. 
We continue to commit ourselves to
the work of reconciliation and relationship-building
with our First Nations neighbours.     

Call to Worship:

Have you believed, Thomas,
because you have seen me?
Blessed are those
who have not seen
and yet believe.

John 20.29

O, Come.   Let Us Worship.

Gathering:

Alleluia! Christ is risen. 
The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia! 
May his grace and peace be with you. 
May he fill our hearts with joy!

Collect for Today:

Almighty and eternal God, 
the strength of those who believe, and the hope of those who doubt, may we, who have not seen, have faith and receive the fullness of Christ’s blessing, who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.  Amen.

The Proclamation of the Gospel:
John 20.19-31

Sermon:  The Ven.  Brian Evans

“Fear"

Advice columnist Ann Landers received over 10,000 letters a day before her death in 2002. Once when she was asked what the most common problem people have and wrote to her about—without hesitation—she said “Fear.”  

Fear comes in many forms.

It is also reported that Louis Pasteur is reported to have had such an irrational fear of dirt and infection, that he refused to shake hands.          

One example of people living in fear is that of Stalin. It is reported he had eight bedrooms in his house and each night, without any sort of pattern, he would sleep in a different bedroom, for fear that if they (people) came looking for him, he wanted to make sure they would not find him where they thought he might be.

In Canada, each year about this time, anxiety or fear is a fact of life, as we all—sorry, some of us, I should say, procrastinate in getting our income tax returns sent in to the Canadian Revenue Agency. I am convinced that sometimes we have more fear of CRA than we may have of the police, as we hear all the shocking incidents that people report of issues with the CRA. 

We all live with a certain amount of fear and anxiety.          

The other night, I had great compassion for the young member of the Victoria Royals’ interview, prior to a playoff game, and the journalist asked: What do you fear the most?

I must admire the response and the composure of this young man as he skirted around that whole idea of fear.         

Step back for a moment and enter into the life of the disciples this week. The tomb is empty. Jesus has disappeared, but only for a very, very short time. 

And, what do the disciples do? 

Well, they return to (possibly, that is) the Upper Room where they had been with Jesus for their last meal with him. On that night Jesus introduced to them (and by the written account to the whole world—even today’s world) a special celebration, that which today we call the “Last Host,” or the “Holy Eucharist” or “The Last Supper,” the Mass.          

This act we follow each Sunday when we gather for Holy Eucharist, the portion of our Sunday worship which is one small—but yet a major part—of our gathering together. 

So, here we are. You might say, huddled in a small room. Well, if we go back to that day, we don’t know the size, yet we presume it was not a very large room. I am sure it was not very posh. I am sure there was not a lot of decorations, religious symbols around it. 

And one of them is missing—Thomas. 

The door is locked, for the fear of authorities. It would have been interesting to be the ‘so called’ “fly on the wall.”         

What should they do? What could they do?

Sometimes, I like to imagine what their discussion may have been like. 

One may have suggested, “Let’s just simply forget about all this. Let’s go back home, back to the jobs we had before Jesus called us in to walk with him and be with him.” 

We do not know. So, what do they do?          

Except. There’s always an exception.         

I’m sure you’ve heard that word more than once in my preaching.

You might say, it is like Jesus has been listening to them, and he knows that they need encouragement.          

The gospel today provides two ‘wow’ moments: 

First, in John 20:19-22 we read: 

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!” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.

Again, Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And, with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”         

What I find interesting, is how many times Jesus needs to address his closest friends; how many times he needs to address them, just simply to get their attention.

You know, in the Church, we have in our Anglican tradition, we have a common practice, if we want to get attention in a public gathering, we say, “The Lord be with you.”

In some ways, it is similar to what Jesus says to the disciples: “Peace be with you.”

And, sometimes, in our congregational gatherings, the person wanting to get their attention needs to make that greeting more than once. 

In some ways, he gives them a commissioning; because after he gets their attention, he says to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”         

It’s a commissioning for ministry. It’s a commissioning to help us dispel the fear we may have in doing that gospel ministry we are called to do in our baptism. 

It’s the same commissioning that each and every  Christian receives at baptism, at confirmation, and at ordination, with words such as “send down your Holy Spirit…”         

Except. There is always another ‘except.’          

Remember, Thomas is not there with them on this first occasion. And his friends tell him that ‘while you were away, Jesus visited us. Jesus came to us while the doors were locked and transformed us and inspired us to do ministry.'

Thomas says to them words that are so familiar: “Sorry, if I was not here, and yet you expect me to believe this?”

And then he says, “Unless I see the mark on his hands and put my finger in his side, I WILL NOT BELIEVE.”

Kind of like at that moment, Jesus enters into their midst again, and invites Thomas to see his hands and put his finger in his side. 

The words Jesus says at this moment are words for the world to hear to this day: Do not doubt but Believe. 

Sometimes, I wonder if those words might have been: Do not Fear but Believe. 

This is followed by a rather bold statement when Jesus told them (I would not say scold them but uses rather direct language and says), “Because you have seen me, you have believed.”

Then, Jesus says, “Blessed are those who have not seen but yet have believed.” 

How often have we heard those words or similar words like Thomas ‘unless I see and feel…. I cannot believe.’

I think of the young lady who asked for a copy of The Gospel according to Matthew for a university paper.         

Upon giving it to her, I said to her to read it not so much in the sense of having to believe everything, but think of it as a way of life, suggesting Chapter 5, 6 and 7 were part of the most significant part of that Gospel. 

They are a recipe for life.         

What Jesus tells us is if we cannot see, yet believe, we are blessed then so that we can love and not be afraid.

We all live with a certain amount of fear, and it is often fear which holds us back from love, or loving the other.         

Jesus in the moment of this resurrection appearance, gives the disciples two reasons to believe in their ministry.

• First, he calms them with these words, “Peace be with you.”

• Then he shows them his hands and his side         

We don’t have that good fortune today. 

What we do have, though, is the last part of our reading for today, where the writer says, ‘Jesus did many other signs which are not written in this book.’          

The signs today, and all which happened later, are important as they are there to shape our faith.

The greatest problem we have in life is the lack of faith.

The disciples suffered from some of those same issues. 

We lack faith in ourselves; faith in others; and faith in God.          

Bette Midler gave us some classic words about fear when she sang a little tune years ago that struck a chord with many sensitive hearts. 

The words were written by Amanda McBroom and went like this:  

It’s the heart afraid of breaking that never learns to dance.
It’s the dream afraid of waking that never takes a chance.
It’s the one who won’t be taken who cannot seem to give.
And the soul afraid of dying that never learns to live.

Jesus might say to us today:

Learn to dance. 
Never be afraid of waking; take a chance. 
Learn to give. 
Never be afraid of dying. 
And far beneath the snow, lies the seed which in the spring, becomes a rose.

Amen.        

Let Us Pray

Rejoicing that Jesus is risen, and love has triumphed over fear, let us pray for the Church, the world, and all those in need of good news. 

Rejoicing that Jesus is risen, and love has triumphed over fear, let us pray for the Church, the world, and all those in need of good news. 

Your Church cries out, O God, and you listen.
As you drew near to the disciples, draw near to us this day. Breathe on us your Holy Spirit, that our faith is renewed, and we witness to your love.
God of grace,
Hear our prayer.

Your creation cries out, O God, and you listen.
Nurture trees, crops, wildflowers, and all growing things. Guide farmers, gardeners, arborists, and others who tend the soil and nurture plants into life.
God of grace,
Hear our prayer. 

Your world cries out, O God, and you listen.
Guide Police, Firefighters, Paramedics, and other First Responders to work for the well-being of communities and the dignity of every person, that no one may need to live in fear.
God of grace,
Hear our prayer.  

Your children cry out, O God, and you listen.
Hear your people crying out for justice, for an end to racism, and other oppression, for a world where all are fed and safe. We pray for all who cry out in suffering or pain.
In our parish this week, we especially pray for, Gail; Sue; John; Sheila; for Johnny and Dianna, and their family; and those on our hearts, naming them now aloud, or in the silence of our hearts. We pray for Tina and Michael.
God of grace,
Hear our prayer. 

Your congregations cry out, O God, and you listen.
Renew all priests and clergy, musicians and all worship leaders, administrators and all who facilitated Holy Week and Easter worship. Open our hearts that we may discern where You are calling each of us to serve.
God of grace,
Hear our prayer.

Eternal God, we remember those who have gone before us, giving thanks for their love and witness among us. We pray for renewed trust in your promises, that we may live with joy, courage, and compassion.
God of grace,
Hear our prayer. 

Loving God, we pray for this Parish of St. John the Baptist, Duncan, and all churches in our community. We give thanks for Your Presence in our midst. We pray that we might receive your peace amid our fears.
May our doubts be transformed to belief, that we might cry out with Thomas “My Lord and My God!” 
God of grace,
Hear our prayer. 

Into your hands, most merciful God, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in your abiding love; through Jesus Christ, our resurrected and living Lord.   Amen.

As our saviour taught us to pray, we say:

Our Father,
Who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as in heaven.  Give us today our daily bread.  Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us fom evil.   For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, forever and ever.  Amen.

Glory to God,
whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine. Glory to God from generation to generation, in the Church and in Christ Jesus. Amen.

The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

And may the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you, and remain with you, for ever.  Amen.