Sunday, April 19, 2015

We have seen the Lord

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.”

The below prayer is NOT my writing.
I share these words from www.livingwithchrist.us


“We have seen the Lord”

Lord Jesus,
where will I see you today?

Just as you appeared
when your disciples
were gathered together,
help me see you
in the gathering
of your Church today,
in priest and people,
in word and
bread and wine.

Just as you wished
your disciples peace
and showed them
your wounds, still visible
and real on your risen body,
just as you breathed
the Spirit upon them,
and sent them
forth on a mission
of reconciliation--
so let me see you
in your people
as we strive to carry out
your mission and bring
the breath of your Spirit
to the world.

Let me see you
in all the people
who work for peace, justice, and reconciliation.
Let me see you
in all the women and men
who sacrifice and 
give of themselves for others.
Let me see you
in the poor and exploited,
still covered by the
visible and invisible
wounds and scars
caused by the selfishness,
and carelessness of others.

Lord, Jesus, help me
to see that you are
still performing signs
in the presence of your disciples.
And help me to be one of your signs
so that, through me,
the world will come to know you
and have life in your name.
Amen.

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