Seeing Christ in Word and Sacraments

Seeing is believing.  Those were the words Thomas essentially said when the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.”  Thomas had not seen, so the skeptic in him did not believe.  As I reread the Gospel lesson for this past Sunday (John 20:19-31) I am reminded that we do see Christ in Word and Sacraments and there receive all the benefits of His death and resurrection — forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation.  We hear the Word read and preached.  We put on the baptismal waters that made us His.  We touch the bread of life that was wounded for us.  We taste the blood of Christ poured out for us.  Like Thomas, our faith is strengthened by the word of the Lord and we respond with a joyous “My Lord and my God!”

A wonderful choral selection that my iPod reminded me of for the 2nd Sunday of Easter is “Although the Doors Were Closed” by James Clemens.  I know it from the Concordia Theological Seminary’s Kantorei CD “Te Deum”.  You can hear another choir singing it by listening to an episode of Sing for Joy produced by St Olaf College.  Go here, click on the April 19, 2009 link, start the episode, and scroll to 10 minutes 50 seconds into the episode.  Easter blessings to you.

Related posts:

1. Word & Sacrament – How Christ Makes a Christian
2. Sailing with Christ
3. Te Deum at Kramer Chapel
4. Christ (or lack thereof) in the Sermon
5. O Sing of Christ