Themes of Faith from the Second Sunday of Easter, 2010

Christ Lay in Death's Prison This is the beginning of a text by Martin Luther, which was set to music by JS Bach. The following video is a performance of the "title song" from a cantata, known in German as "Christ Lag in Todesbanden". A different version was the musical offering at our church today. The title refers to the temporary abode of Christ between his phsical death on the cross and the resurrection of his body, which was celebrated in a big way last week, and more generally for the following 49 days of the Easter season.



Thomas and his First Encounter with the Risen Christ

But Thomas, one of the twelve [discipless], was not with the [others] when Jesus [first appeared to them]. 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."

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." 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." Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" 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."

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. Gospel According to John 24:24-31