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In the evening of the same day, the first day of the week, while the disciples kept themselves behind closed doors for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst of them and said to them:
"PEACE BE WITH YOU!"
When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples were happy when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again: “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you." When he had said this, he breathed on them and said: "RECEPT THE HOLY SPIRIT!
If you forgive someone their sins, they are forgiven; if you refuse to forgive someone their sins, they are not forgiven.'
Thomas, also called Didymos, one of the twelve, had not been with them when Jesus came. The other disciples said to him: "We have seen the Lord."
But Thomas said to them, "Unless I see the marks of the nails in his hands, and put my finger into the marks of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it."
Eight days later his disciples were again gathered, and Thomas was with them. Then Jesus came, while the doors were closed, and stood in the midst of them and said: "Peace be with you!"
Then he said to Thomas: "Stretch out your finger, here are my hands, and stretch out your hand and stick it in my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believing." Thomas answered: "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him:
"You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe." John's Gospel 20,19-30
Throughout church history, Thomas has been hanged out as the doubter, - the second worst of all the disciples, only a little better than the traitor Judas and a little worse than the denier Peter.
BUT IS THOMAS IN REALITY
JUST LIKE MOST OF US,
- PERIODICLY AFFECTED BY DOUBT?
The only thing Thomas had left was the community, - the community of believers in the other disciples who also groped forward, doubting and afraid, and clinging to hope.
The fantastic thing about the community in today's Bible reading is that the other disciples do not reject Thomas because of his doubts. It is certain that he has a place in the community, on an equal footing with the others, even if he has not experienced the same as them, and despite the fact that he questions their faith and doubts that what they have experienced can be true.
(I'm just thinking about how we sometimes treat the people in our communities who think differently and who question the way we think and the way we do things... and pray that there is naturally room for everyone in our Christian communities)
When Thomas finally meets Jesus, it is also not with any reproach from Jesus, like the one Peter got when he walked on the water with Jesus and began to sink, and received the reproachful comment from Jesus which read; "Why did you doubt?" (John 14.30-31)
Jesus meets Thomas and his doubts, - and gives his fumbling and wavering faith firm ground under his feet, - and in a way tells him that it is OK that he doubts but that it is better that he believes.
The question is what is needed for us, - what is needed for us before we exclaim "my lord and God" and recognize that Jesus is there for us and gives us security? - Is it enough with the testimony of others, is it enough with a feeling of God's presence, is it enough with an answer to prayer, is it enough to see someone being converted or healed - or is a touch and a revelation from Jesus himself enough? , when it comes to ourselves?
One thing is certain, - that if we reach out our hand to Jesus, even a doubting hand, Jesus takes it and gives us the "proof" we need in our heart, which makes us sure that he is there in our lives.
God bless you
