Focus
As you quiet yourself for this brief time, be willing to be open to God in whatever way that may take place.
Read
John 20:19-31 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”
But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.”
A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.
Reflect
In journalism school, one of my professors was famous for his mandate that we check our sources and make sure our information was accurate. “If your mother tells you that she loves you, check it out,” he’d recite in class and in the newsroom on a daily basis. In other words, don’t believe anything, and certainly don’t print it, without verification. It was a good lesson for me to learn as a young journalist, for sure.
I think my training in the quest for “little T” truth has helped me on my way in my journey toward “big T” Truth. And it’s why I love the story of Thomas. Thomas gets a bad reputation as being someone who doubts, but in my mind, Thomas is simply ready to check his facts. He’s calling another source to verify the accuracy of the story. What a good journalist! But more than Thomas’ actions, what draws me into the story is Jesus’ reaction. There is no chiding. No condemnation. No disappointment. Jesus instead invites Thomas to get close to him, to touch him, and to explore the wounds that exposed the Way, and the Truth, and the Light to the world. I can just imagine Jesus rolling up the sleeves of his cloak, and lifting up his tunic for the disciple’s medical examination. And Thomas believes! We don’t get the benefit of putting our hands to the wrists of Jesus, but Christ still allows us to come close to him, and get all the facts. We might first hear the story of the Love of God from someone else, but through Jesus, we get the blessing of first-hand news.
Pray
God of Truth, we thank you for patience with us. We doubt, we question, we groan in exasperation, but your steady love quiets our fears. Thank you for allowing us to come to your throne through the sacrifice of Jesus. We praise you for the resurrection and for what it means to the world. Amen.
Go with God!
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