The Sunday of St. Thomas
Scripture: John 20:19-31
Someone once wrote, “The journey is what brings us happiness, not the destination.”
We’ve just ended a long journey: Lent. If you add up all the days, from the time we began the Lenten Triodion through Holy Saturday, you’ll find that we’ve been preparing for the resurrection of Christ for 70 days.
That’s a long journey. But now that we no longer have Pan-Orthodox Vespers, Presanctified Liturgies, and the Salutations services, where do we go from here? What happens now that we’ve reached our destination?
Are we destined to look forward to the Taste of Greece, or perhaps feel that we’ve earned a summer vacation from church?
Today’s gospel is a reminder that our journey isn’t over; it’s just beginning.
Jesus had healed his disciples with the words, “Peace be with you.” They were then commissioned to pay it forward. Their journey began when Jesus breathed on them and they received the Holy Spirit, becoming apostles, “ones who are sent.” From them, the world heard about resurrection, forgiveness, and healing.
Our own baptisms began with the priest breathing on us, and then we were sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit, just as the apostles were. Now that we’ve heard the testimony of the resurrection, we are also commissioned to begin our own journey — one that proclaims the risen Christ and the forgiveness of sins to all people.
Brothers and sisters, our work is just beginning!