You are invited to use this bulletin for Morning Prayer which The Rev. Mary-Carol Griffin created for your Sunday worship.
Officiant: Alleluia! Christ is Risen.
People: The Lord is Risen indeed. Alleluia!
Confession and Assurance of Absolution: BCP page 79
Officiant: Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor
People: Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.
Officiant: Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life. Amen.
The Invitatory and Psalter
Opening dialogue: BCP page 80
Officiant: Lord, open our lips,
People: And our mouth shall proclaim your praise
All: Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord
Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:57
Jubilate Psalm 100
Be joyful in the Lord, all you lands; *
serve the Lord with gladness
and come before his presence with a song.
Know this: The Lord himself is God; *
he himself has made us, and we are his;
we are his people and the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving;
go into his courts with praise; *
give thanks to him and call upon his Name.
For the Lord is good;
his mercy is everlasting; *
and his faithfulness endures from age to age.
The Collect and Lessons
Collect of the Day:
Almighty and everlasting God, who in the Paschal mystery has established the new covenant of reconciliation: Grant that all who have been reborn into the fellowship of Christ's Body may show forth in their lives what they profess by their faith; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Morning Prayer II
First Lesson: Acts 2:14a, 22-32
But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them: 'Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. 'You that are Israelites, listen to what I have to say: Jesus of Nazareth,
* a man attested to you by God with deeds of power, wonders, and signs that God did through him among you, as you yourselves know—
23this man, handed over to you according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of those outside the law.
24But God raised him up, having freed him from death,
* because it was impossible for him to be held in its power.
25For David says concerning him, "I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand so that I will not be shaken; therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; moreover, my flesh will live in hope. For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One experience corruption. You have made known to me the ways of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence." 'Fellow Israelites,
* I may say to you confidently of our ancestor David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Since he was a prophet, he knew that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would put one of his descendants on his throne. Foreseeing this, David
* spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah,
* saying, "He was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh experience corruption. "This Jesus God raised up, and of that all of us are witnesses.
Canticle 9: The First Song of Isaiah Surely, it is God who saves me; * I will trust in him and not be afraid. For the Lord is my stronghold and my sure defense, * and he will be my Savior. Therefore you shall draw water with rejoicing * from the springs of salvation. And on that day you shall say, * Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his Name; Make his deeds known among the peoples; * see that they remember that his Name is exalted. Sing the praises of the Lord, for he has done great things, * and this is known in all the world. Cry aloud, inhabitants of Zion, ring out your joy, * for the great one in the midst of you is the Holy One of Israel. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: * as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. Second Lesson: 1 Peter 1:3-9
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who are being protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, even if now for a little while you have had to suffer various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith—being more precious than gold that, though perishable, is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Although you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, for you are receiving the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
Canticle 18: A Song to the Lamb
Splendor and honor and kingly power *
are yours by right, O Lord our God,
For you created everything that is, *
and by your will they were created and have their being;
And yours by right, O Lamb that was slain, *
for with your blood you have redeemed for God,
From every family, language, people, and nation, *
a kingdom of priests to serve our God.
And so, to him who sits upon the throne, *
and to Christ the Lamb,
Be worship and praise, dominion and splendor, *
forever and for evermore.
A Reading from John 20: 19-31
When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe."
A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe." Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe." Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.
Sermon The Rev. Mary-Carol Griffin
The Second Sunday After Easter
John 20: 19-31
Alleluia, Christ is Risen! The Lord has Risen Indeed!
As Sir Walter Scott lay dying, he said to his friend and biographer, John Gibson Lockhart, "Read from the Book." "Which book?" asked Lockhart. Scott smiled and replied, "There is but one." People who have not learned to live will not know how to die."
In reading from the book (Bible) today many of us probably asked ourselves, so where was Thomas that first Easter morning when the rest of the disciples were together?
When I attended Sunday school it always seemed like Thomas was always the "bad guy." When the other disciples told him that Jesus was alive after his crucifixion, Thomas refused to believe it. Thomas had separated himself from the others and demanded not only to see Jesus, but touch his wounds. Most of us get the impression that because he doubted Jesus was alive after the resurrection we should be very careful not imitate him. Don't be like Thomas! Believe! Don't doubt! If Jesus stood before us today, as he did then, what you ask of him?
As a grief counselor for many years in hospice, I am more then reluctant to dismiss Thomas. I witness people struggling alone with deep questions of doubt after the death of a loved one. Doubts and uncertainty frightened them then and us today. We tend to judge Thomas because he dares to bring doubt into our lives of faith. I am also aware that everyone grieves different. Some families stick together and other members of the family need to be alone to process the death of a loved one. After all, the disciples thought this was the Messiah, the one who was going to make their lives easier, the one who was going to stand up to the bad guys and make everything not only tolerable, but holy and perfect. They didn't think that his death was part of the plan of salvation.
To gain an understanding of this story it's important to realize that doubt is not the opposite of faith, the opposite of faith is indifference.
Frederick Beuchner writes: Doubt is the ants in the pants of faith. Doubt keeps faith awake and moving. Whether your faith is that Jesus is the Son of God or that he is not, if you don't have any doubts, you are either kidding yourself or asleep."
Thomas is not a doubter, he's a believer. Earlier in John's Gospel it is Thomas who, when Jesus insists on going to Judea, declares, "Let us also go with him that we may die with him." And it is Thomas who makes the first explicit acknowledgment that Jesus is God: "My Lord and my God!"
This loyal believer who is referred to "Doubting Thomas" deserves to be remembered better than this. He did not refuse to believe: he wanted to believe, but did not dare without further evidence. There is a Thomas in each one of us. There's a part of that wants to be saintly, prayer and belief without doubts, but there is also a part of us that prefers to waddle in the mud like a hippo.
Let us note that the sign he asked for did not create faith in Thomas; it released the faith that was in him already. Thomas is the patron saint of all who believe and still want to see for themselves.
Henry David Thoreau wrote: "Man often becomes what he believes himself to be. If I keep on saying to myself that I cannot do a certain thing, it is possible that I may end by really becoming incapable of doing it. On the contrary, if I shall have the belief that I can do it, I shall surely acquire the capacity to do it, even if I may not have it at the beginning."
"Live your beliefs and you can turn the world around." Oscar Wild
"If we really want to love we must learn how to forgive." Mother Theresa
If I cannot forgive myself for all the blunders that I have made over the years, then how can I proceed? How can I ever dream perfection-dreams? Move, I must, forward. Fly, I must, upward. Dive, I must, inward, to be once more what I truly am and shall forever remain. Sir Chinmoy
Earlier in the gospel men came to Philip and said: "Sir, we wish to see Jesus!" Isn't this why we come here every week. We want to see Jesus. We want to be like Thomas and see for ourselves.
The world wants to see Jesus. And the world looks to us, his body, the church, for a sign. For some identifying marks that say, "My lord and my God!"
Thomas knows exactly what to look for as the identifying marks: the wounds in his hands and side: any God apart from the Wounded One is no God at all. Thomas knows this. We know this. But it is so easy to forget. It's so easy for us to turn our heads and look away from the wounds.
But it is so important to know Jesus this way. Because of the kind of death that the Son of God suffered, we know that our God not only knows our pain: our God is the One God who is in our pain and our grief and suffering. Jesus not only shares our sufferings, grief, and pain, he is in it with us every step of the way. That is where we can see him.
So, when we are confronted with the loss of a loved one, Jesus is in the midst of it. When we were plunged into the depths of national fear of the coronavirus, Jesus is in the midst of it. When we face the darkness of depression, disease, loneliness, racism, ethnic hatred, and religious intolerance, we know that Jesus is in the midst of it.
Any one of these situations can be enough to cause some doubt in our resurrection faith. Any one of these situations can be enough to send us to God asking for a sign.
Our wounds are very much on the surface every day. Anyone can come into a church and look at around and see our grief, our pain, and our suffering. The temple police are not here to lock us in prison for speaking about Jesus, we do it ourselves.
Anyone can come in to our churches (we are the church individually) and see people reaching out to Jesus for healing of whatever it is that hurts: mind, spirit or body, in themselves or loved ones. People come to us with a desire to see Jesus. For, in truth, the hands we extend in love and care for others are his hands. We are Jesus with skin on! If people cannot see Jesus in us, where else can they honestly turn?
Without the insistence and testimony of Thomas, all of it would be more than we could bear. So we are like Thomas, looking for a sign. When we reach out our hands to take his body, we are looking for that sign. When we hold his broken body with our broken body, we begin to see him.
And the one we see is the one Thomas sees: the resurrected one; the one who overcomes death; the one who heals all who are broken; the one who has known our sorrows and is in our sorrows; the one who walks with us every step of the way to Judea and back again.
This is why the church commissions people to be Lay Eucharistic Ministers, to bring his broken body to others as this same sign of his presence. When we are unable to be in church today, we must bring Jesus to them, joining his woundedness with theirs. And if only for that moment, make the whole body of Christ, this sacred mystery the church, whole and united and reconciled and healed. If only for the moment as we hold him in our hands, we can see him and know that he is with us always. He does not abandon us in time of crises. He joins us wherever we are. He comes back to show us that he has survived and risen above the grief and sorrow and pain of it all.
He comes back to show us that he is the one who transforms our wounds into new life.
He comes back to lift us up, so we might show forth in our lives and in our very hands like his what we profess by faith. So that we might have our doubts once again relieved.
Some years ago I came across the story of an incident that took place in 1932 which speaks of the centrality of risk and courage in one's faith:
A man was walking across the desert tumbling, almost dying of thirst, when he saw a well. As he approached the well, he found a note in a can close by. The note read: "Dear friend, there is enough water in this well, enough for all, but sometimes the leather washer gets dried up and you have to prime the pump. Look underneath the rock just west of the well, you will find a bottle full of water, corked. Don't drink the water. Pour half of the bottled water slowly into to the well to loosen up the leather washer. Then pour the rest in very fast and pump like crazy!. You will get water. The well has never run dry. Have faith. And when you're done, don't forget to put the note back, fill up the bottle and put it back under the rock. Good luck. Have a fun trip. Sincerely, your friend, Desert Pete."
What would you do? You're on verge of expiring from lack of water, and in reality, the bottle of water is only enough to quench your thirst, not save your life. Would you have the courage to risk it all?
The is a powerful allegory about some of the essential ingredients in Christian faith. First there is evidence—there is a written message, the can with the letter in it, the bottle underneath the rock. Everything is in order, but there is no proof that you can really trust desert Pete. The second element is risk. A man is dying of thirst is asked to pour the only water he is sure of down the well. Faith is always costly. The third element is work. Some folks mistakenly interpret faith as a substitute for work. Faith is not about laziness or about laziness. Desert Pete reminds us that after we trust and risk we must pump like crazy!
It takes faith and courage in the midst of doubt and struggles to trust that Jesus is in our midst reassuring us with his words, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, I send you."
So that we might join with Thomas in proclaiming, "My Lord, and my God!" So that we might believe and have life, true life, abundant life, in his name. so that we might feel him breathe on us as he did on the disciples and be filled with his Shalom, the very spirit and breath of God. Look! He is coming, every eye will see him...Jesus says, "I am the Alpha and the Omega...who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty!
Our life may be the only sermon someone sees.
People are not going to walk into a church (or see us) and look around and say: Wow! Look what I have missed all these years. People come to church because they are invited, it is our job, to help feel welcomed.
Faith is shared and spread one person at a time. We may be the one person it takes to make a difference.
Let us hold him in your hands. Feel him breathe on you the Spirit breath of God.
Then we are sent into the world so others might see him. So others will see the wounds. So others will know him as Thomas knows him. So others will know him as we know him: My Lord, and my God! Alleluia. Christ is risen. The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia.
And God's people said: Amen.
The Apostles' Creed BCP page 96
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth; I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
The Prayers
The Lord's Prayer BCP page 97
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your Name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial, and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and for ever. Amen.
The Suffrages, B BCP page 98
V. Save your people, Lord, and bless your inheritance;
R. Govern and uphold them, now and always.
V. Day by day we bless you;
R. We praise your name for ever.
V. Lord, keep us from all sin today;
R. Have mercy upon us, Lord, have mercy.
V. Lord, show us your love and mercy;
R. For we put our trust in you.
V. In you, Lord, is our hope;
R. And we shall never hope in vain.
Prayers of the People Form III BCP page 387
Father, we pray for your holy Catholic Church;
That we all may be one.
Grant that every member of the Church may truly and humbly serve you;
That your Name may be glorified by all people.
We pray for all bishops, priests, and deacons;
That they may be faithful ministers of your Word and Sacraments.
We pray for all who govern and hold authority in the nations of the world;
That there may be justice and peace on the earth.
Give us grace to do your will in all that we undertake;
That our works may find favor in your sight.
Have compassion on those who suffer from any grief or trouble;
That they may be delivered from their distress.
Give to the departed eternal rest, especially Gretchen Lane, The Rev. Malcolm Hughes, Charles Planting, Mimi Barnes and Keith Storm.
Let light perpetual shine upon them.
We praise you for your saints who have entered into joy;
May we also come to share in your heavenly kingdom.
Let us pray for our own needs and those of others.
The People may add their own petitions.
In this time of pandemic, we pray:
For all who have contracted coronavirus,
We pray for care and healing.
For those who are particularly vulnerable,
We pray for safety and protection.
For all who experience fear or anxiety,
We pray for peace of mind and spirit.
For affected families who are facing difficult decisions between food on the table or public safety,
We pray for policies that recognize their plight.
For those who do not have adequate health insurance,
We pray that no family will face financial burdens alone.
For those who are afraid to access care due to immigration status,
We pray for recognition of the God-given dignity of all.
For our brothers and sisters around the world,
We pray for shared solidarity.
For public officials and decision makers,
We pray for wisdom and guidance.
Father, during this time may your Church be a sign of hope, comfort and love to all.
Grant peace.
Grant comfort.
Grant healing.
Be with us, Lord. Amen.
A Collect for the Renewal of Life
O God, the King eternal, whose light divides the day from the night and turns the shadow of death into the morning: Drive far from us all wrong desires, incline our hearts to keep your law, and guide our feet into the way of peace; that, having done your will with cheerfulness during the day, we may,
when night comes, rejoice to give you thanks; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The General Thanksgiving BCP page 836
Accept, O Lord, our thanks and praise for all that you have done for us. We thank you for the splendor of the whole creation, for the beauty of this world, for the wonder of life, and for the mystery of love. We thank you for the blessing of family and friends, and for the loving care which surrounds us on every side. We thank you for setting us at tasks which demand our best efforts, and for leading us to accomplishments which satisfy and delight us. We thank you also for those disappointments and failures that lead us to acknowledge our dependence on you alone. Above all, we thank you for your Son Jesus Christ; for the truth of his Word and the example of his life; for his steadfast obedience, by which he overcame temptation; for his dying, through which he overcame death; and for his rising to life again, in which we are raised to the life of your kingdom. Grant us the gift of your Spirit, that we may know him and make him known; and through him, at all times and in all places, may give thanks to you in all things. Amen.
The Prayer of St. Chrysostom (in unison) BCP page 102
Almighty God, you have given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplication to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will be in the midst of them: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen.
The Dismissal
Let us bless the Lord
Thanks be to God
