Easter 2 C + Trust in God + 4.24.22

 

1000. 
      
      Campbell-Langdell

      All Santos, Oxnard

      (Acts 5:27–32; Psalm118:14–29; Revelation1:4–8; St John 20:19–31)

Jesus said: “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.”

The traditional English translation of these words, particularly in the use of the word “doubt,” has thrown us off for a long time in Christian circles. We think if we have questions about faith, we are somehow “doubting Thomases” and need to just force ourselves into faith. But God does not coerce us and we should not coerce ourselves.

I read a lovely re-understanding of this passage replacing the root word interpreted as “doubt,” pist in Greek, with another interpretation of that word, which has to do with trust. Re-understanding the passage in that light, we hear Jesus say:

 “Do not be distrusting but trusting” and “Are you trusting because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to trust.”¹

It sounds different, doesn't it? The author mentions how Jesus comes to the disciples when they are in a state of fear, and breathing his peace on them, he invites them to trust again. So that they can take action and share the good news with others. But trust is hard, isn't it?

In the book No Ocean Too Wide by Carrie Turansky (Crown Publishing, 2019), we are introduced to a family living in 1908 who are pulled apart by the fact that their father has died and their mother becomes ill. Because the oldest daughter is working away from home while the mother is sick, the three younger children get sent to care homes and sent as a part of a child emigration team to Canada. During the book the oldest daughter Laura struggles with her Christian faith, as she feels conflicted about having to give a false name as she attempts to work as a child emigration escort in order to go to Canada to reclaim her siblings and reunite her family. She meets a man whose Christian faith compels him to help her but who also encourages her to be honest with those who are seeking to help her. And this question is central to many of our lives, even though we will not all be faced with similar circumstances. How do we trust that God is guiding in our lives and not just try to force any given situation according to our will?
That can seem very risky. Just like in this story Laura risks losing her job and being thwarted in her goal to reunite her family if she tells the truth, many of us may face situations where we must decide whether we will stand in integrity or let something happen that is not right, whether actively or passively. Even though Jesus does not force faith on the disciples as he appears to them after his resurrection, how often do we try to maneuver a situation? How can we learn to commit our circumstances to prayer and trust that those around us who are goodhearted will do the right thing? Now sadly this runs a risk. We can and likely will get hurt if we live this way. But it is a part of living a Christian life.

A group of us attended an interfaith Zoom session on living an Anti-racist life led by the Guibord Center this week. And one of the panelists encouraged us to take risks in order to grow in our faith. She mentioned that she as a white woman pastor could recount the times she put herself physically at risk in marching for Black Lives Matter and other causes. But she said she would rather focus on what she saw as a riskier endeavor- sharing her approach to anti-racism with those who might not want to hear about it. Then she shared how she shared a message from the Cotton Patch Gospel Musical with her parishioners on Good Friday during a pot-luck. In this gospel re-interpretatation, Jesus is in the context of modern-day Georgia and his death is a lynching. And amazingly the discussion opened up about how racism is still very prevalent.

This pastor took a risk. She might have really angered her people in bringing up the topic of racism on Good Friday. But instead they were open to talking about it. She invited us to also take risky steps towards growth.
For each of us, this risk to trust God might look a bit different. As I heard it asked this week, “What locked rooms are we in that Jesus needs to come and breathe peace into?” I suspect each one of us has had a moment when we needed to, or might even now need to, trust God despite all evidence saying God should not be trusted. Despite all evidence saying the world is too unkind and that the world will chew us up and spit us out if we try to do something different. Despite all that meanness in the world, let us remember the tenderness of Jesus, breathing peace on us, helping us let go of fear, and inviting us to embrace him, wounds and all. Let us not be distrusting, but trust in God.

1Renee Such Schreiner, “Commentary on John 20:19-31” for April 24, 2022, from: Commentary on John 20:19-31 - Working Preacher from Luther Seminary.