St. Thomas Sunday
Interestingly, on Pascha night there are two readings: one from Mark and one from John.
The one from Mark ends with the women discovering the empty tomb. An angel then asks them to tell the whole world about Jesus rising from the dead.
But, Mark says that “… trembling and bewilderment had taken hold of them; and they said nothing to anyone; for they were afraid.”
What a strange way to begin our celebration of Pascha!
The second reading, at Liturgy, begins our journey through John, the Gospel through which we’ll read during the Paschal season.
Even though we’re celebrating the resurrection, this reading takes us to the beginning of the Gospel and we hear about how the “… Logos became flesh and pitched a tent among us …”
Another strange reading for our celebration: it doesn’t seem to fit.
Now, a week later, we celebrate St. Thomas Sunday, and we finally get a resurrectional reading.
But this reading continues our theme of bewilderment.
Jesus appears to his disciples, but Thomas is missing. When Thomas hears about Jesus’s appearance, he refuses to believe unless he’s able to touch Jesus.
When Jesus does appear to Thomas, he invites him to touch his wounds.
Though famous paintings all show Thomas sticking his finger in Christ’s side, scripture does not say that Thomas did this.
After Jesus invited Thomas to touch him, Thomas, instead, proclaims Jesus to be his “Lord and God.”
So, not only is Thomas the doubting one, but he seems to lack any courage.
On one hand, he won’t believe unless he touches Jesus, but then, on the other hand, he makes a grand statement of faith without following through on his demand to touch Jesus.
What’s going on?
Scripture: John 20:19-31 (click here to read)
Bottom Line: It’s not a miracle but the word that’s the cause of our trust.
Discussion Questions
- Faith is a strange thing. When someone asks why you believe, what do you tell them? How do you explain your faith? What do you point to as “proof” that what you believe is correct?
- Have you ever doubted your faith? What doubts have you had? Do you still have them? If you’ve overcome your doubts, how did that come about?
- Thomas wanted to touch Jesus, but, ultimately, he didn’t. Have you ever wanted to see the risen Christ standing before you? What would you say if this were to happen? Would you be frightened or enlightened? Do you think seeing Christ is necessary? Is it scriptural?
Moving Forward
Many of us want signs as a proof of our faith. But, scripture is almost “anti-sign.”
Again and again, Jesus warns us not to put our trust in such things.
“‘Rabbi, we know that you have come as a teacher from God; for no one can produce these signs you perform unless God is with him.’ In reply Jesus said to him, ‘Amen, amen, I tell you, unless someone is born from above, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.’” (John 3:2b-3)
By wanting to touch Jesus, Thomas was, essentially, asking for a sign as a proof of the resurrection.
But, fortunately, our faith is not based on miracles and signs.
Surprisingly, Thomas finally “gets it” and confirms that faith is based on the word that was given to the disciples by Christ himself.
In fact, this is the same word that is given to us every time scripture is open during the services.
When the reader reads the Epistle and when the priest reads the Gospel, the word is proclaimed to us, just as it was to first-century Judeans who followed Christ.
We are at no disadvantage by having been born 2,000 some years after the resurrection.
Ultimately, Thomas’s confession that Jesus is his “Lord and God” is one based on that which is also presented to us: the word revealed through scripture.
We’ll talk more about the Myrrh-Bearing Women next week, but their trust in the risen Lord also comes from an opening up of the word. For, when one of the women tries to touch Jesus, he says, “Do not cling to me.”
We can’t capture the risen Christ to show him off to the world as proof that he rose. Our preaching is the content of scripture, not a risen man walking around as a sign or miracle.
So, we place our trust in the risen Lord not in our having seen him, but from the Paschal proclamation that “Christ is risen!”
Let us not cling to him nor keep this a secret. But, let us go and proclaim to all we see that Christ is truly risen!
Changing Your Mind
“Jesus says to him, ‘You have faith because you have seen me? How blissful those who do not see and who have faith.’” (John 20:29)