Daily Readings - Sat Jul 03 2021

¹⁹Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;²⁰And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;²¹In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:²²In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

John

Chapter 20

²⁴But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.²⁵The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.²⁶And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.²⁷Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.²⁸And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.²⁹Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

Sermon

In today's readings, we are reminded of the essence of faith and community. The first reading from Ephesians 2:19-22 highlights our unity in Christ, describing us as citizens in God's household, built on the foundation of Apostles and Prophets with Christ as the cornerstone. This passage emphasizes that we are part of a larger spiritual community, connected through our faith in Jesus. The Gospel from John 20:24-29 presents the story of Thomas, whose doubt turns to belief upon seeing Jesus' wounds. This narrative illustrates the personal journey of faith, where even in doubt, God's presence can lead to profound belief. Thomas's experience shows that faith is not about having all the answers but trusting in God's revelation. Both readings intertwine the themes of faith and community. Ephesians focuses on our collective identity as God's people, while John's Gospel highlights individual faith. Together, they remind us that faith is both personal and communal. In our daily lives, we are encouraged to trust beyond what we see and to find strength in our spiritual community. Let us embrace faith, even in doubt, and recognize our place within the larger body of Christ, where together we grow in love and trust in God.