Eucharistic Gospel Reading for the Second Sunday of Easter: Year C
“But Thomas (who was called the Twin – also Didymus) one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” (John 20:24-25a)
We know that of the twelve, Judas has died. All the rest, the eleven now, stayed together. Most of the time after the resurrection, and it is revealed that they huddled together in a room behind a locked door. The writers make that point to let us know that the door was locked but the Resurrected Jesus appeared within the room anyway.
So why was Thomas not with them? I recall Thomas as one who suggested that they all go to Jerusalem and die with Jesus; (John 11:16). So he was no coward. Also Thomas was not afraid to speak up when Jesus made statements about his followers, supposedly knowing where he was going. Thomas spoke up and said that in fact they did not know where he was going, and he wondered how could they know the way; (John 14:5). This shows something of the character of Thomas. He was a person of dedication, integrity, courage, and honesty about what he knows and does not know. Perhaps he was tired of the weakness of the other ten. He was tired enough to be away from them as they stayed locked up in their upperroom.
Now these men came out of their self imprisonment to approach Thomas with news of the Resurrection. Thomas doubts the same people who also doubted the person who first brought the news to them, Mary Magdalene. Yet they come to Thomas with the same words, “We have seen the Lord.”
Yes, Thomas does say that unless certain criteria are met he would not believe. But maybe this was more about his relationship with the ten than a real doubt about the Risen Jesus. While Jesus invites Thomas to touch him we don’t have it in writing that he actually does. Just seeing Jesus was enough to see that the others were in fact telling the truth, and Thomas proclaims Jesus as his Lord and his God. (John 20:28)
What does it mean for us today to hear “We have seen the Lord”? I think whenever we are blessed enough to see something good happen, particularly when it was against all odds, we have seen Jesus present with us. When we see life given back to someone who was dying, or a life saving operation, or an accident that could have been much worse, we have seen the Lord. Jesus is made manifest in the many miracles that happen all around us. And they are still happening all the time.
Sometimes, like Thomas, we are not so sure of the sources that report the miracles. But we must remember, it’s really not about them, it’s about Jesus and his invitation to just believe even if we have not seen but have been told. And because we have been told, and yet not personally seen, we believe, and so, are blessed. We should live our lives with the understanding of the very public heavenly view that we are in. Heaven sees everything. Locked doors or secret places are not hidden or blocked from divine eyes. The quicker we accept the peace of Christ, the less our hearts will be troubled.
As we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and to serve, and to teach others to love and to serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John
Let us pray: A Collect for Sundays (BCP p. 98)
O God, you make us glad with the weekly remembrance of the glorious resurrection of your Son our Lord: Give us this day such blessing through our worship of you, that the week to come may be spent in your favor; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
onewhoponders 