Lectionary Reflection
Easter 2A
by Wes Morgan

Easter brings us face-to-face with these questions, "In whom do you put your
trust?"  "With what do you trust that one?"  Life, with all of its ups and
downs demands that we answer these questions.  These are "faith" questions.
The Easter Season provides a wonderful opportunity for us to think about our
faith.  The 20th chapter of the Gospel according to John is a great resource
for us as we do this reflection.  According to John there are different
types and levels of faith.  There is faith that is based on signs, and there
is faith that needs no signs.  There is faith that is weak and faith that is
strong.  Some faith is shallow and some is deep.  There is also faith which
is growing and faith which is faltering.  Most of us want our faith to be a
"once and forever" thing.  We don't want to have to keep struggling and
deciding.  But in John's Gospel, faith is not a decision made once but a
decision that is made anew in every situation.  A case in point -- Thomas
was already a Disciple; but now in the face of the Resurrection, he must
decide again.  And he cannot settle for the experience of others -- "unless
I touch..."  In reality this is the basis for all faith that is growing.

Each of us must come to our own faith, in our own way, and through our own
experience.  The beloved disciple, John, believed with no evidence but an
empty tomb.  Mary Magdalene believed because she heard her name.  The ten
Disciples believed because they saw.  Thomas believed when he could touch.
(Although it is not clear that he actually touched Jesus.)  Fred Craddock
writes, "For some, faith is as gentle as a child on grandmother's lap, but
for others, it is continual wrestling with doubt."  No matter how faith
comes, it has to do with the gift of the Holy Spirit.  It is this indwelling
of the Holy Spiritual Presence of God that enables us to move beyond our
demands for proof and come to faith.  Jesus makes it plain that it is
possible to come to faith without seeing!  We will never be able to see
enough to satisfy the doubts of darkness, fear, insecurity, or even of
curiosity.  Life demands that we answer the faith question for ourselves.
"In whom do you put your trust?"  Jesus looks at us from the Easterside of
the tomb and says, "Do not doubt.  Believe!"  You can trust me -- with your
life and your death!

(Comments to Wes at wes77@cebridge.net.)
First Christian (Disciples)
Conroe, TX