PostScript: From fear to faith
'Do not doubt but believe.' (John 20.26-27)
As we enter fully into the Easter season, are the sorrows of Good Friday truly behind us? The story of Thomas in John 20.19-31 shows how hard it can be to move on from the darkness of keenly-felt grief and fear. Yet Jesus’ compassionate close encounter with Thomas leads the disciple towards a confident declaration of faith – and offers a challenge to us all.
This week's news
Failure and disappointment
Disappointment hurts most where hopes are highest. The expectations placed on Alex Ferguson’s ‘Chosen One’ to succeed him as manager of Manchester United were so great that perhaps a bitter backlash was inevitable. Angry outbursts, cynicism and even a protest by plane banner have been levelled at David Moyes until finally, this Monday, he was sacked from his post at the club.
Grief and fear
Anger and disappointment over a game, however well-loved, is one thing, but as ever there is plenty of true suffering in the stories of the week. Tension in Ukraine continues to rise, with commentators hearing veiled threats in the rhetoric of Russian premier Vladimir Putin’s annual Q&A event for his own people. Peace seems a long way off for civil-war afflicted Syria and South Sudan. Egypt is still in turmoil. At the time of writing, grieving parents in South Korea still desperately await the recovery of further bodies from the ferry disaster and more than 100 schoolgirls in Nigeria are believed missing after a mass abduction, probably by the militant Islamist group Boko Haram, which opposes Western, and particularly female, education.
Close encounters
In their lighter pages, the papers have been carrying photographs of the royals. A new, almost informal, photograph of the Queen taken by David Bailey was released in celebration of her 88th birthday on 21 April. The image was apparently produced at the request of a government overseas promotional campaign for Britain. Meanwhile the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have been busy touring New Zealand and Australia with their camera-pleasing baby son, Prince George. Such close encounters of the royal kind seem to have had a positive effect, with pro-Republican sentiment in Australia now at its lowest in over 35 years, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. The personal touch helps to engender trust.
Confident faith
Finally, David Cameron’s Easter comment piece for the Church Times has prompted a letter of condemnation from public figures including Philip Pullman, Dan Snow and Sir Terry Pratchett, who have argued for secularism and against Cameron’s pro-Christian stance. But some Christian, Hindu, Sikh and Muslim leaders have spoken in support of Cameron’s position. That ‘…we should be more confident about our status as a Christian country… more evangelical about a faith that compels us to get out there and make a difference to people's lives.’
Reflection
Failure and disappointment, grief and fear
Thomas and the other disciples had heard Jesus’ teaching and seen him perform miracles. Their expectations must have been high as they entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. But then came that fearful Friday and the long days of grief that followed. Their hopes were dashed. Mary, Peter and John brought back reports of an empty tomb, but the group was still expecting further trouble, with the doors of the house kept ‘locked for fear’. It is only when they encounter Jesus in the room with them that their hope begins to return. But Thomas is not there and only hears later, secondhand. It is understandable that he responds with cynicism. For him, the fear is still real, the grief still fresh and deep. The words of his outburst are angry, raw and visceral: ‘Unless I see the mark of the nails… and put my finger in… and my hand in his side…’ His pain is physical. It will take palpable proof before he will believe.
Close encounters
A week later, Jesus comes to the group again, and this time Thomas is in the room with the others. Jesus in his compassion understands Thomas’ need and invites him to see and touch. Now Thomas believes and confidently proclaims ‘My Lord and my God!’ This close personal encounter with Jesus allows him to come to understand and trust in the glory of the resurrection.
It is perhaps a little unfair that Thomas has acquired the nickname ‘Doubting’, as when he gets the chance to meet with Christ himself, he responds as faithfully as the others. For all of them, it takes a close encounter before hope and trust return: the disciples in the room on that first occasion are shown ‘his hands and his side’, and Mary only recognises Jesus at the tomb once he calls her by her name (John 20.16).
Confident faith
Thomas’ final declaration of faith is as confident as his previous sceptical outburst was bold; but nevertheless, Jesus meets him with a challenge: ‘Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.’ That challenge, John makes clear, is one that is open to us all. We can encounter Jesus through these stories, ‘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.’ And, beyond that, there is the challenge to each of us, echoed by Cameron, to act on what we believe, demonstrating compassion to others so that they may come to encounter something of the risen Christ in us.
Prayer
A prayer of petition
When fear has me in its grip,
so that I want to hide, lock the doors, block everything out,
Lord, be my refuge.
Send me your peace and strength
so that I can open the door back to the path of life.
When disappointment makes me so angry
I want to scream, shout, or lash out at others,
Lord, be my refuge.
Send me your peace and renew my hope so that my heart can rejoice again.
When doubts leave me stricken,
unwilling or unable to find my way forward,
Lord, be my refuge.
Send me your peace and call out my name
until I can recognise and follow you once more.
Amen.
Questions
- How confident are you in your faith?
- Are you willing to confess your faith to others?
-
Do you think David Cameron
was right to speak about faith or should politicians keep quiet on such matters?
- Do you think Britain is a Christian country? Does it matter one way or another?
- How have others revealed something of Christ to you in their actions? How can you try to be the hands of Christ for others today?
Action
You may find it helpful to read Cameron’s original piece in full, without the filter of commentary, in case discussions come up with others.
The Telegraph’s cartoonist Adams reflected twice on Cameron’s comments on Christianity, first with a cartoon on the 18th suggesting that the article was more akin to a party political broadcast than a statement of faith and then again on the 22nd, with one suggesting Cameron may be reeling for some time from the negative response to the piece. The cartoons could provide a useful way in to a discussion about the issues raised.
Thomas is open about his doubts – perhaps without this openness he might not have received the help he needed to return to trust in Jesus. In quiet, examine your own doubts and lay them before Jesus in prayer. Ask for help to trust and encounters that will help to deepen your faith. If you have trusted Christian friends, or a cell group, talk and pray with them too during the week.
The conflicts in Syria, South Sudan and elsewhere are displacing many people. While there may not be refugees from these particular conflicts in your area, you could still see whether any refugee support organizations near you need help or donations that you might be able to provide, either as a one-off or on a regular basis. See the Refugee Council’s directory of community organizations.
Young People
What makes you believe or disbelieve something? Is it the details in the story you are told? The way it is told? Who is telling it?
In Australia, it is apparently young people aged 18-24 who are most likely to support the monarchy. Some people think this is because of the personal appeal of William, Kate and George, particularly since their recent tour of the country. A good personal encounter with someone will make others think more favourably about what they represent. What impression might the people we meet get of Jesus from meeting us? How can we become better representatives of Christ?
Depending on the space available to you, the nature of your group – and whether or not you’ve already overdone similar activities! – you could play some trust games as a way in to exploring trust and faith in others and how close encounters – when they go right – can help to deepen trust.
Rebecca Froley was the launch web editor of ROOTS and until recently being made redundant was working in business and national news publishing as a website manager.
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