The Family Table

where we feast and are formed

Plan a meal each week (breakfast, lunch, or dinner--whichever works best for that week) to all sit down together to eat, share a sacred story, wonder, and give thanks for one another. Suggested: place a candle in the middle of the table for this meal. Printable Version of the Prayers, Story, and Questions Found Here - or simply use the website on your phone!

The Meal

Light the candle.

Bless.

Use this or create your own blessing.

Gracious God, bless this food, the gifts of your creation, and all the hands that played a part in bringing it to this table.

Bless this table, around which we gather, and bless all those we wish were with us today.

Help us to listen to your word and to each other so that we might hear the Good News in this story.

Read.

Readers in the household take turns reading.

April 11 - 17

John 20:19-31 ┃ Jesus Appears to Thomas

Let us hear the Good News of God:

Jesus appears to the disciples

It was still the first day of the week. That evening, while the disciples were behind closed doors because they were afraid of the Jewish authorities, Jesus came and stood among them. He said, “Peace be with you.” After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. When the disciples saw the Lord, they were filled with joy. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father sent me, so I am sending you.” Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven; if you don’t forgive them, they aren’t forgiven.”

Jesus appears to Thomas and the disciples

Thomas, the one called Didymus, one of the Twelve, wasn’t with the disciples when Jesus came. The other disciples told him, “We’ve seen the Lord!”

But he replied, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands, put my finger in the wounds left by the nails, and put my hand into his side, I won’t believe.”

After eight days his disciples were again in a house and Thomas was with them. Even though the doors were locked, Jesus entered 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 into my side. No more disbelief. Believe!”

Thomas responded to Jesus, “My Lord and my God!”

Jesus replied, “Do you believe because you see me? Happy are those who don’t see and yet believe.”

Then Jesus did many other miraculous signs in his disciples’ presence, signs that aren’t recorded in this scroll. But these things are written so that you will believe that Jesus is the Christ, God’s Son, and that believing, you will have life in his name.

Thanks be to God!

Question.

Use some or all of these questions as you wish. If you have younger children in your household, you might invite them to make up their own question to ask!

  • What do you think it might have smelled...tasted...felt...looked...sounded...like to have been there?

  • If this story happened today, what might be different?

  • Is there a place that reminds you of this story?

  • Have you heard another story similar to this one (TV/movie/play, song, book)?

  • Who would you be if you were in this story?

  • Who might God want you to be like in this story?

  • How can this story help you?

Bless.

Gracious God, we thank you for all we have been given, the blessings of this table, and the blessings of our daily lives.

Thank you for all we have heard, your voice in both scripture and in the words of those we love.

We pray for the courage to speak the Good News in the world around us either by word or action, that we may play our part in the sacred story.