Sunday April 19, 2020 Gospel Reflection – Doubting Thomas.

Although it has been only 46 days from Ash Wednesday, 2020 to Easter 2020, it seems that the Time passing passing has taken forever!!!

As we reflect on the Second Sunday after Easter on April 19^th and the ongoing church season after Easter, our Sunday readings can give us help to get through these challenging times.

Let’s see what John Chapter 20, verses 19 to 31 can tell us!!!

The basic information is that the disciples, even though have reports of Jesus being seen, are huddled in a room, fearful and worried!!!

Jesus comes through the locked door and appears to many disciples, commissioning them to go out and forgive or retain sins. Jesus also breathed on them and gave them the Holy Spirit. Thomas heard this from disciples who were there and demanded proof. Jesus appears a second time and Thomas is humbled, uttering the famous prayer of belief and fellowship with Jesus – my Lord and my God!!!

So, when I run through the basics of this Gospel let me check some key phrases with my last 50 days or so!!! Worried – check; huddled- yes; a bit doubtful – uh huh!!!; remorseful when I encounter the real news facts – yes! I will stop there and focus on Thomas’ response to seeing the Lord crucified and raised from the dead – my Lord and my God!!!

Sometimes the only response we have to life is to throw ourselves upon our belief and faith in Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to help us through tough times!!! Those times are now and our belief as Christians is that God through Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit is with us right now all day and all night and with every breath we take!!!

My Lord and my God!!! Thank you Thomas – stay safe, you all!!!

Rev. Mike Lynch

Assistant Priest, St. Peter’s Anglican Church.

April 13, 2020

Dear Friends in Christ

1. Hope you and your loved ones are doing as well as can be.
2. It has been a month now since we have been unable to worship in person at St. Peter’s. We do not know when regular public worship in churches will begin again, but eventually it will.
3. In spite of everything, the Easter season is a time of thanksgiving and praise to our good God who never abandons us. God has given us the ultimate gift of His Son Jesus Christ that you and I may have our sins forgiven and experience life forever with God.  We just need to believe it.
4. Please take some time, amid the constant stress of your life, and consider writing a thank you note to God for all His graces and blessings in your lifetime. Writing these out gets them from our head to our heart and onto the page.  When you’re done, just sit quietly and review your list.  You might want to say something to God, you might just want to enjoy the quiet sense of God’s presence remembered throughout your life.
5. Try to take the opportunity to phone, text, email or write to someone you want to thank. God sent this person into your life to help you, challenge you, support you or cheer you on to be your best self.  You might be that kind of person for someone else.
6. We can never overdo gratitude. In this time of ongoing tension and anxiety, please thank God every day for someone or something.  It will make a difference to getting through each day and this crisis as well as you can.

Love and prayers always

Coleen+

Rector, St. Peter’s Anglican Church