Saturday thought for Low Sunday

Blue Bells at Damflask Reservoir

Well tomorrow is traditionally known as Low Sunday which contrasts with the normal highlight of Easter Day. Ministers often take this Sunday off to recover from the busyness of Holy Week and sometimes so do the congregations!!!  

Well its not an issue this year as we all have to defer from going to our buildings to worship. 

Of course there are lots of services on TV , radio or on line. My congregations will have noted I have not sought to create a Zoom service, not really my thing. I was amused the other day to read a parent had discovered their child playing with the dog instead of being on line in a Zoom school lesson with other classmates. Don’t worry she reassured her mum. I’ve taken a video of myself and its playing so the teacher thinks I’m still there. She was aged 10. I must say it did make me feel like ‘now that’s what I ought to do when people want me to do Zoom meetings’.

I think its really important that we look after ourselves and do not place too many expectations on what we should or should not be doing. Staying safe and keeping sane are critical. We are going to need our energy and time for one another when lockdown is lifted.

This Sunday’s Gospel reading is John 20:19-31. The disciples are to be found gathered in a room, though Thomas is not there. Jesus appears. When the others tell Thomas what happened he won’t believe them unless he sees for himself. Well who can blame him? What's so wrong about the odd doubt here and there? In fact its quite healthy. So take care of yourselves and don’t be afraid to throw up the odd doubt as well. A long time ago I wrote a piece based on Thomas here it is for reflection.

Thomas

And if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes I would never have believed it.

I saw him touch a blind man and then the man could see.

I saw him offer a hand to lift a paralysed man from his mat and he walked.

And if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes I would never have believed it.

I saw him reach out and touch the awful skin of a Leper and the skin became like new, it was smooth and supple.

I saw him talk to a woman by a well, not one of us, yet she was changed.

And if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes I would never have believed it.

I saw him love an adulteress as he stopped the stones and set her on a new path to tread.

I saw the men; the hypocrites turn away, had they used her?

I saw him enable a small in stature cheat give all his stolen wealth away.

And if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes I would never have believed it.

I saw meals with outcasts

I saw storms at sea stilled

I saw hungry thousands fed.

And if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes I would never have believed it.

I saw a friend dead yet walk from his tomb.

I saw tables overturned in the temple. 

And if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes I would never have believed it.

I saw, I saw so much and I knew he was to die and I said lets also go that we might die with him.

I loved this man yes even willing to die with him

And I saw this man who had done so much, so much that

And if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes I would never have believed it.

I saw this man die.

He died a terrible death.

And I who had seen so much,

Believed so much

So willing to die as well.

I had to be alone.

And so I did not see

I did not see when he came into my friends midst

I did not see that he had conquered death

I did not see that he was alive for ever

Damflask Reservoir

I did not see for myself and so I did not believe.

Call me a pessimist.

But I did not see!

I saw my Lord and My God

I needed my eyes to see and believe

Thank God for sight that comes with the eye of faith

That people too can believe.

But don‘t be too hard on me will you,

I who had seen so much,                                                    

I withdrew from the fellowship.

You can miss so much

When you withdraw from the fellowship.

But don’t be too hard on me,

Have there not been times

When you don’t believe something 

because you haven’t seen it.

Don’t claim to understand what you don’t 

Or that you believe what you don’t believe.

Be honest and deepen your faith

With the struggle of honest doubt.

I saw the risen Christ.

And if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes

I would never have believed it.

But when you are sure

Go the whole way

With me you can say

My Lord and My God.

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his 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