Believing is Seeing

But Thomas (who was called the Twin[a]), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. – John 20.24

Happy Sunday, Middle Church!

Our passage for today is the story of Jesus appearing to most of the disciples, save for Thomas who wasn’t there when it happened. He wouldn’t believe the other when they told him, so Jesus comes back and Thomas is forever named “Doubting Thomas.” Despite anything else he had done. Poor Thomas, he got such a bad wrap! I mean, can you blame him for his doubt? His fellow disciples hadn’t shown themselves to be the most trustworthy companions as of late. One turned Jesus in to the Roman soldiers, one resorted to violence and cut off the ear of one of the soldiers when they came, another denied Jesus three times before the cock even crowed. Could they really be trusted?

I’m curious about what it takes for him to lean back into the community. And, further, what does it take for all of us to lean in as well? We are now back in our building. Everything is new and pretty. But there is still much work to do. One way to show solidarity with this work is the brick campaign. Are you able to lean in there? It is a physical marker of solidarity and support with and for your community. Are you able to volunteer? It is a physical marker of solidarity and support with and for your community. How can you bolster the work we’ve started together? Can you help us continue the race?

Communities are made up of people who don’t always get everything right the first time. But that’s the beauty of it, yes? It allows us space to look a little deeper into what we are trying to accomplish together, to continue to fine-tune, to continue to strengthen our conversations out in the world because we were brave enough to practice them here. I hope you’ll continue to lean in here at Middle. You and I are the ones we’ve been waiting for.

See you at church,

Rev. Natalie Renee Perkins

Executive Minister for Digital Church