April 19, 2026 | Third Sunday after Easter @ Holy Trinity Lutheran Church – Buffalo, NY
Scripture References
John 21:1–14; Acts 9:1–19; Hebrews 11:1
Living Between Certainty and Uncertainty
How much of our lives do you figure we live in uncertainty—
that distance between what is certain and what is uncertain?
When you were young, you may not remember this, but you may have had a parent toss you up in the air. You probably giggled like crazy. We had certainty that our parents would catch us.
Then as we grew older, maybe we stood at the edge of a swimming pool,
and a parent said, “Go ahead and jump in—I’ll catch you.”
We heard those words, but we also remained at least a little bit uncertain.
We didn’t know for sure if they would catch us.
Maybe they would slip.
Maybe something else would happen.
When Uncertainty Demands Action
I watched two movies this past week about Love Canal (see movie references below). Not being from the Buffalo area, I had no idea the extent of the damage.
Many people saw signs—evidence that something was wrong—
but they were uncertain what they were seeing, so they continued living their lives.
Others saw, and even in their uncertainty, they took action.
Lois Gibbs was among them. She was not comfortable in the spotlight. She was not a scientist. She was not a politician. She never saw herself as a public advocate. And yet—there she was.
She was uncertain about what was actually going on.
Uncertain about the chemicals.
Uncertain about the impact on the environment, on children, on families.
Uncertain about how she could make a difference.
And still, she acted … she cast the net on the other side.
Casting Nets Without Clarity
The disciples in the Gospel reading from John had been fishing all night and they caught nothing.
Fishing was not a hobby for them. It was their livelihood. No fish meant no income. No income meant no food. They were exhausted, frustrated, and probably very hungry.
Then Jesus showed up and asked them to do something that made absolutely no sense.
Jesus said, “Cast the net to the right side of the boat, and you will find some.”
Really? After a whole night of catching nothing … that’s the solution?
There’s nothing under the boat dividing fish from one side to the other.
What logical difference could it possibly make to throw the nets on one side versus the other?
And on top of that— they didn’t even know it was Jesus. Talk about uncertainty.
And yet—even before they understood—before they analyzed, before they debated—they took action. They cast their nets. And in their uncertainty, they experienced God’s abundance.
When Certainty Is Shaken
Saint Paul was absolutely certain that he was right. How many people in our time are convinced they are absolutely right, too?
Paul had authority to seek out followers of Jesus and bring them bound to Jerusalem. And then—Jesus interrupted him.
“Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”
Paul was shaken. He became uncertain about everything he thought he was certain about. And that encounter changed the direction of his life.
He became one of the most significant evangelists for Jesus in history.
Faith in a Complicated World
For many of us, we would like that kind of certainty—
to be like the disciples and cast the net,
to advocate like Lois Gibbs,
even when we are uncertain.
But it takes risk. It takes openness. It takes a willingness to explore, to experiment, to be curious.
It takes humility to acknowledge the truth of what we see along the way—
even when it conflicts with our own thinking, our own understanding, our own logic.
Times of uncertainty are not times of weakness. They are times of curiosity and growth. And yet, we live in a time that feels especially complicated.
Over the last couple of weeks, we have experienced an escalating war with Iran—some people argue about whether to call it war, but the reality is the same: lives are lost; homes and business are destroyed.
We have heard politicians as they have spoken about religious topics. We have heard Pope Leo push back. And we have heard the Speaker of the House chastise the pope saying, “if you wade into political waters, I think you should expect some political response” (Apr 15, 2026).
You and I get caught in the middle of it all. What is true? What is right?
We are left to try to determine the intentions of people in the public eye who create images of themselves that connect them with images of faith. Do we see this and remain silent, or do we speak?
And how from the religious perspective? If politicians wade into religious waters, should they expect a religious response?
On Saturday, April 18, Holy Trinity co-hosted a presentation on “The Psychology of Christian Nationalism” and what draws people to it. Christian nationalists purport to speak from the Bible about what God says, about what patriotism is, and the connection between the two. How do we make sense of those who are in opposition to Christian nationalism yet speak a message from the gospel that is completely opposite?
Again … what is true? What is right? How do we know for certain that the message we follow is the actual message of Jesus.
What We Can Know for Sure
Jesus tells us clearly: care for the poor.
The Old Testament calls us: care for the widow, the orphan, the stranger.
The message of Jesus is love.
This is a tough time; a difficult place for all of us.
So much is uncertain.
A Faith That Moves Anyway
And yet—this is precisely the moment that calls for faith.
Faith, according to the book of Hebrews, “is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1).
Our call is not to certainty.
Our call is to the relentless pursuit of Jesus in the midst of uncertainty.
Faith is not an exact science. It is a journey … a relationship.
We are not called to be “right” and we are not called to pummel our opponents who we may view as “wrong.”
We are called to love one another—including our enemies.
We are called to care for the most vulnerable among us.
We are called into community—a community shaped by love, respect, humility, justice, and mutuality.
We are called to live God’s values—the values of God’s kingdom—here on earth, as we journey together though this uncertain and beautiful life.
Reflection Questions
- Where in your life are you being asked to act, even though you feel uncertain?
- How do you discern truth when faithful voices around you seem to conflict?
- What would it look like to follow Jesus more deeply—not with certainty, but with trust?
Movies
Lois Gibbs and the Love Canal (available on MGM+ and other streaming services)
Poisoned Ground: The Tragedy at Love Canal. (https://youtu.be/gR4YBDzPzd0?si=OAMj_XxUg2PNEYox)
Epicurious Lutheran 
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