A Message from Pastor Wes

Grace and peace to you, in the name of our Risen Savior, Jesus Christ!

And: HAPPY EASTER! As we've journeyed through the resurrection texts over the past couple of weeks, I have found myself more and more drawn to John's resurrection encounters, especially the one involving the disciples in the upper room.

On the evening of Easter Day, Jesus's disciples are locked behind closed doors-afraid, uncertain, unsure what comes next. Into that tense space, the risen Christ appears and speaks a simple word: "Peace be with you." Not once, but twice. And when Thomas later voices his doubt, Jesus responds not with rebuke, but with presence, invitation, and grace (John 20:19-31).

This passage feels especially at home on a university campus.

Our campus is full of bright minds and searching hearts. Students, faculty, and staff carry hopes for the future alongside real anxiety about the world as it is. Questions about vocation, justice, belonging, faith, and meaning are not abstract here-they are personal and pressing. Like the disciples, we often find ourselves behind locked doors, whether those doors are fear of failure, exhaustion, grief, or the quiet uncertainty of "What comes next?"

Jesus does not wait for the disciples to have everything figured out before showing up. He comes into their fear-filled room and meets them exactly as they are. He shows them his wounds-the marks of suffering that are not erased by resurrection but transformed by it. This matters deeply in a community like ours, where students and colleagues bring their whole selves, including their pain and questions. The Christian story we share is not one that denies brokenness, but one that insists God meets us there.

Thomas, so often remembered only as "the doubter," gives voice to something many on campus feel but may hesitate to say aloud: "Unless I see . . . I will not believe." In response, Jesus does not shame him. Instead, he invites Thomas into deeper encounter: "Put your finger here . . . Do not doubt but believe." This is a portrait of faith that resonates with our Lutheran theological foundation-faith not as intellectual certainty or forced assent, but as trust formed in relationship and sustained by grace.

At TLU, we cherish this spacious understanding of faith. We believe that questions are not a threat to belief but often the pathway into deeper trust. Academic inquiry, theological reflection, and honest doubt can belong together. God is not afraid of our questions. In Christ, God comes close enough for us to touch.

When Jesus says, "As the Father has sent me, so I send you," he shifts the story outward. Resurrection is not meant to be contained. Peace becomes purpose. Here, that sending happens in countless ways-through teaching and learning, service and research, advocacy and care for one another. Students are formed not only for careers, but for lives of meaning and service in a world that deeply needs hope grounded in love.

The passage ends with a blessing: "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe." This is not a dismissal of doubt, but a promise that faith is possible even amid uncertainty. It is a word for our time and our place.

As TLU's campus pastor, I am especially grateful for you, our church partners who walk with us in this ministry. Your prayers, encouragement, and support help make space on this campus for honest questions, courageous faith, and the enduring promise of Christ's peace.

May that same risen Christ continue to meet us-behind whatever doors we may find ourselves-and speak again the word we most need to hear: Peace be with you.