Without a doubt, the secret of our life of worship is great:

Christ was shown to us in human form;

The Spirit proved that he was right; He was seen by angels.

The message about him was told to the nations;

People in the world believed in him;

He was taken up to heaven in glory. 

But God will save suffering people by their suffering. He gets them to listen through their pain. “God is gently calling you from the jaws of trouble. He is calling you to an open place of freedom.     There he has set your table full of the best food.

“God does great things by his power. No other teacher is like him.  No one has planned his ways for him. No one has said to God, ‘You have done wrong.’ Remember to praise his work. Men sing about it. Everybody has seen it. People look at it from far off.  God is so great! He is greater than we can understand!

While the two followers were telling this, Jesus himself stood among those gathered. He said to them, “Peace be with you.” They were fearful and terrified. They thought they were seeing a ghost. But Jesus said, “Why are you troubled? Why do you doubt what you see? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me. You can see that I have a living body; a ghost does not have a body like this.” After Jesus said this, he showed them his hands and feet. The followers were amazed and very happy.

They still could not believe it. Jesus said to them, “Do you have any food here?” They gave him a piece of cooked fish. While the followers watched, Jesus took the fish and ate it. He said to them, “Remember when I was with you before? I said that everything written about me must happen—everything in the law of Moses, the books of the prophets, and the Psalms.” Then Jesus opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.

Thomas (called Didymus) was not with the followers when Jesus came. Thomas was 1 of the 12. The other followers told Thomas, “We saw the Lord.” But Thomas said, “I will not believe it until I see the nail marks in his hands. And I will not believe until I put my finger where the nails were and put my hand into his side.” A week later the followers were in the house again. Thomas was with them. The doors were locked, but Jesus came in and stood among them. He said, “Peace be with you!” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here. Look at my hands. Put your hand here in my side. Stop doubting and believe.” Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Then Jesus told him,“You believe because you see me. Those who believe without seeing me will be truly happy.”