Easter 2
The Rev Rod Sprange

John 20:19-31

Sometimes it’s hard to be positive. Life can seem disheartening - the future of the world discouraging. It’s easy to get to a place where we just say - what’s the use, what’s the point? Or if we are pragmatic individuals we might just say - there’s nothing I can do about it so I’ll just get on with my life and get as much out of it as possible.

I read a blog post by one of my favourite commentators, David Lose, about the story of Thomas the so-called ‘Doubting Thomas’. David Lose suggests that Thomas wasn’t so much a doubter as a realist – a pragmatist. I think I like that better. Don’t most of us often want to say “show me - let me touch - give me tangible proof.” It would make believing so much easier.

While we were living in Mexico this winter I was called to preach on the passage where some diaspora Jews - Greeks, were visiting Jerusalem and said to Phillip “Sir, we wish to see Jesus”. It struck me then, that is really what most of us think we want. But that’s not what Thomas receives in this startling passage from John. What he receives is a whole new vision of reality - a whole new pragmatism. He comes to believe, not just that Jesus is risen from the dead (as incredible and unbelievable as it is), but who Jesus is. He finally sees that for God nothing is impossible - but let’s put that more positively - with God everything is possible.

And John tells us this is his whole purpose in giving us his version of the Gospel.

“Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the 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”.

Notice here - it is directed at us who read these words, who hear these words, who proclaim these words. Notice also that he says “that you may come to believe”. For many of us, our faith, our belief is an ever unfolding growing thing - it’s not a sudden revelation as Thomas experienced. We come to belief and we come to believe. That’s why faith community is so vital - it’s so often through the witness in the lives of others that our faith is supported and grows.

David Lose spoke this week about Thomas receiving a new vision of reality;
- a grander vision
- one which is not defined by failure but possibility,
- not governed by scarcity but by abundance,
- not ruled by remembered offence, but set free by forgiveness and reconciliation.

In John’s version of the Gospel - in his telling of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus - we are invited into a new reality. A new vision of the world. The metaphor that works for me is ‘a new pair of glasses’. It’s like being given a pair of glasses whose lenses provide a much grander vision. Through these lenses the world looks different - becomes different - other people look different - we see them differently; our new vision changes us.

Too often our vision, like Thomas’s before his experience in the upper room, is too limited - limited by practicality - by realism. I have witnessed this often in parish vestry meetings (not this vestry - I happily don’t attend vestry meetings any more). Our practical, no nonsense, business-like approach to the administration of church too often leaves out faith. And I have often seen what can happen with just a little bit of faith. A faith that calls us to action - not hand-wringing or blaming.

Faith isn’t about becoming Pollyannas, but is believing that with God all things are possible. And as I said before, this for me is why Christian community is so vital. While at times I may feel down and pessimistic - weighed down by a sense of realism - the community may lift me up - find my new glasses and help me to see that wider vision and be governed not by failure but by possibility.

But there is a problem that comes with this wider vision - or even a glimpse of this wider vision. The questions for each of us then become “Do I really want to be part of this greater vision? Do I really want to live my life in Jesus’ name? Do I want to let go of my comfortable life? Am I ready to share all the abundance I have received? Am I prepared to be reconciled with those who I believe have hurt me?”

Sometimes I think, the safer our lives, the more comfortable they are, the more pragmatic we are, the harder it becomes to “let go and Let God” (I wish I knew who said that first) - it is such a powerful thought “Let go, and let God”. But that takes courage and a willingness to let God lead us where we might prefer not to go. Jesus is found where the world is in pain. If we want to see Jesus we need to be prepared to go where he is. The reality that Jesus shows us, is that in letting Go and letting God – along with all the risks that entails - we will find abundance of life.

In Mexico the juxtaposition of wealth and poverty can be quite distressing. You don’t have to go far from the Marina, with dozens of huge boats that cost over $10,000 dollars to fill with fuel, to see people who are dirt poor. Children who have no hope of an education beyond the early years.

In Winnipeg there is also great disparity between the wealthy and the very poor - but it’s fairly easy to avoid the unpleasantness of seeing those parts of our city. We don’t have to go there. Yet even if we notice the poverty and hopelessness it is much easier, less risky, less inconvenient, to send a cheque rather than to get involved. Rather than being distant benefactors we need to be loving friends.

In Puerto Vallarta, the Salvation Army and the Rotary Club, each run weekly lunch programs. The Rotary club has built a paved and covered lunch area with kitchen near the city dump. Why there? Because there are many families who live there in poverty. The program sets up on Mondays. They bring and cook a healthy lunch for about three hundred mums and children. The meal is cooked and served by volunteers, assisted by a few of the locals who are paid a small amount. The mothers and children line up to receive their lunch cafeteria style. They each bring their own bowl or plate - or maybe an additional bowl for a sibling or child. The servers dish up the meal – making sure there is enough for everyone. If there is any left over, kids come back for seconds. The day we helped it was spaghetti noodles and meat sauce – with rolls.

A remarkable thing is the attitude of the mums and kids. There is laughter and joy, teasing and sharing. It’s a happy time. But you can also see the hunger in the wide eyes of a child as she reaches out her bowl and hopes for a good-sized helping.

A friend of ours had found a good deal in oranges and had bought two or three huge netting bags full of oranges. We cut these up and they were dessert. One little girl came back in the line several times, each time taking one piece and putting it with the other pieces on a table. She was patiently making sure she had enough to take pieces of orange home to her family.

This is all wonderful - but it doesn’t end there. While the meal is being prepared, many of the volunteers sit with small groups of the mums or children and help them to learn English. Learning English is critical if you want to get a job - most of the jobs are in the tourist industry - and most of the tourists want to be spoken to in English. It’s wonderful to see the interaction between the volunteers and the students. They get to know one another and relationships are formed. We were assigned to listen to a woman in her sixties who was learning to read English. She had to read to us from a children’s book. We were to and offer encouragement and praise for her work and gently correct pronunciations. It was a lovely time. The three of us laughed and shared.

After lunch the kids play games. They don’t have any fancy equipment. They made a ball pit - where kids can jump into the balls - you may have seen these at Ikea. But this one is made from old plastic bottles. In another home-made game the kids line up, take off one shoe and try to toss it into a bucket for a small prize. Kids play together there! They have fun. They use what is available.

Along with the nourishment of at least one good meal a week - is the nurturing of relationships. You come away feeling very good about the time you spent with these lovely people, these beautiful children. But there is a cost. It means giving up your Monday. It means driving or taking a bus into an unpleasant place - into a place where you don’t feel comfortable walking. A place where the smell of the dump is ever pervasive. It is inconvenient and unsettling - as well as fulfilling.

What about us, here at St. Peter’s? How are we to live out our calling? What might God be calling us to do? Where will God lead us if we have the courage to ask? Will we be willing to go?

Where can we find those glasses that will change our perception and our lives?

Desmond Tutu and the Dalai Lama are about to launch a project about Joy and Purpose. I believe it will be an opportunity to discover that through having purpose in our lives we discover true joy - I think this means abundant life. Once this project begins I’ll see if we can put a link on this website.

David Lose also had a suggestion for the confession and absolution today (or any day). Perhaps as we are invited into confession we might think about where our own vision has shrunk, about where we feel unable to forgive the hurts we can’t seem to let go. I’d add maybe we confess about our sense of scarcity and fear. In our confession let’s leave these concerns in God’s hands.

Perhaps in the absolution, being set free and remembering that with God everything is possible - we might come to fully believe in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, in the love and mercy of God, and the reality of the presence and fellowship of the Holy Spirit. Perhaps we will come to believe and in believing discover our true purpose and through that the joy of abundant life in Christ. Amen