Easter Every Sunday

On the evening of the first Easter Sunday, ten of the Apostles, still hurting terribly following the crucifixion of their Lord, were gathered together behind closed doors. Missing from the group was the Apostle Thomas (“Doubting Thomas”). He seems to have made a serious mistake by isolating himself from his brother Apostles in their time of great need. They were hurting, but at least they were together. Then “Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you'” (Jn. 20:19). Earlier, Jesus had said to His disciples, “Where two or three are gathered together in My Name, there am I in their midst” (Mt. 18:20). This is a special context within which God’s Grace can work. But Thomas did not gather together with the others. And he missed that Resurrection appearance.

Many of us tend to follow Thomas’ example. For a variety of reasons, we tend to withdraw from the Community of Christ. We hear a lot of people saying these days,…