Here’s a summary of this week’s sermon:

From the vibrant lanes of Chennai, under the warming embrace of the Indian sun, an ancient greeting echoes through the air, resonating with the same fervour it has inspired for centuries: "Christ is Risen." This proclamation isn't just a traditional utterance; it's the bedrock upon which the entire edifice of Christianity is constructed. Without the resurrection, Christianity isn't merely on shaky ground—it ceases to exist.

The apostle Paul, with a candour that slices through the centuries, asserts in 1 Corinthians 15 that without resurrection, our faith is not just endangered; it's entirely futile. C.S. Lewis, a towering figure in Christian thought, posited that to preach Christ is to preach the Resurrection. This isn't a metaphor or a pleasantly embroidered narrative to comfort us in darker times. It is, as Lewis and countless others have argued, the pivot around which the Christian faith spins.

Imagine, if you will, the scene in Chennai, where the air is thick with the scent of history and the weight of legacy. This is where Saint Thomas, one of the twelve apostles, met his end after decades of spreading the gospel far from the familiar landscapes of Israel. His journey was fuelled not by mere conviction but by an unshakeable belief in the resurrection of Jesus—a belief so potent that it propelled him across continents.

Thomas's story is particularly poignant. Known to many as "Doubting Thomas," his skepticism isn't a mark of frailty but a testament to the human quest for truth. His doubts echo the reservations many of us harbour in the quiet corners of our minds. His demands for evidence—a tangible sign of Jesus's resurrection—are not challenges but invitations to delve deeper into the fabric of our beliefs.

Jesus's response to Thomas's skepticism is not a rebuke but a profound act of compassion. "See, touch, believe," He seems to say, extending an invitation not just to Thomas but to all of humanity. This interaction underscores a crucial facet of faith: it does not ask for blind allegiance but welcomes questioning, understanding, and personal experience.

The reality of Easter's miracle isn't just a historical event, locked away in the annals of time. It's a living, breathing invitation to experience the transformative power of the Resurrection. It asks us to consider not just the possibility of life after death but the promise of a life transformed by an encounter with the divine.

This Easter, let us step beyond the bounds of skepticism and embrace the fullness of the miracle before us. Like Thomas, may we find our doubts not just addressed but shattered by the overwhelming evidence of a love that conquered death. "See, touch, believe"—for in these words lies the path from doubt to unshakeable faith, from darkness to dazzling light.

In Chennai, amidst the whispers of history and the echoes of an ancient faith, the message of Easter rings out with undiminished clarity. It invites us to look beyond the grave, to see the marks of sacrifice and touch the reality of resurrection. In doing so, it offers us not just the proof of Jesus's victory over death but the promise of our own participation in that eternal triumph.

"See, Touch, Believe: The Reality of Easter's Miracle" is more than a title; it's a journey. A journey that takes us from the shadowed valleys of doubt to the luminous peaks of faith, where we stand, not just as witnesses to the miracle but as living testimonies to its enduring power.

Happy Easter, or rather, Christ is Risen. He is Risen indeed. And in that truth, we find not just the essence of our faith but the very heart of our hope.

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