April 19, 2020

Let us pray...Almighty and eternal God, you are the strength of those who believe and the hope of those who doubt. Give us faith so we will have strength in our suffering and hope in our frustrations. Take even our doubt, anger, and grief and turn it into something life-giving. We know you can do all this through Jesus Christ our Risen Savior. Amen.

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,

To the exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, (and we will add to the exiles of Afton, Lakeland, Woodbury, Lake Elmo, White Bear Lake, Hudson, Hastings and to all the dispersed believers everywhere) ² who have been chosen and destined by God the Father and sanctified by the Spirit to be obedient to Jesus Christ and to be sprinkled with his blood: May grace and peace be yours in abundance.
³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴ and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, ⁵ who are being protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. ⁶ In this you rejoice, even if now for a little while you have had to suffer various trials, ⁷ so that the genuineness of your faith—being more precious than gold that, though perishable, is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honour when Jesus Christ is revealed. ⁸ Although you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, ⁹ for you are receiving the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." ²⁰ After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. ²¹ Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." ²² When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. ²³ If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." ²⁴ But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. ²⁵ So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe." ²⁶ A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." ²⁷ Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe." ²⁸ Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" ²⁹ Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe." ³⁰ Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. ³¹ 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.

We are the church of Christ, scattered and apart. Every measure of distance is a measure of protection for all. Our souls are waiting for you, O Lord; in your word we find our hope. We wait with every soul that suffers in isolation and longing. We wait and refrain from sharing in the sacrament of the table. We stay in, staying in solidarity with our Muslim and Jewish neighbors. Away from your table, we hunger for the bread of life; yearning for healing, we thirst for the cup of salvation. We wait for you, O Lord, for with the Lord there is steadfast love; With the Lord there is abundant redemption, with the Lord there is still gracious power that abounds. God of grace, surprise us with discoveries of your mercy; awaken us to the power of your Word. Strengthen connection that brings comfort and healing; remind us of your sustaining promises. Fill our words and deeds with your love. Give us wisdom to honor The life we hold together, life in you, life forever. We are the church of Christ, scattered and apart. Every measure of distance is a measure of protection for all.