Sunday 24 April 2022

That Thomas Thing

 

 John 20:19-31

You know what it's like in life! You do one thing and it remains with you all the time. People always talk about it when referring to you. I bet there's an incident in your life that people remember about you.

Peter is always remembered for having denied knowing Jesus. No matter what else he did in life after that and how he set up Christ's Church on earth; that incident is what he's remembered for.

Paul is remembered for falling off his horse on the way to Damascus and how this changed his life after he found the Lord - or the Lord found him.

John the Baptist is remembered for living in the desert eating locusts and having his head cut off for being outspoken.

And poor Thomas, well he is not only remembered for what he did but he has become a nomenclature ever since for anyone who is not so sure and doubts before making up their mind.

There is nothing wrong with doubt. Doubt helps us assess what we've been told and often strengthens our faith. By questioning, we understand and we come to believe more.

Let us consider the Bible passage above a bit more.

Unwittingly, Thomas did Christianity and the Church a great favour by what he did. And I believe that it was all Divinely planned.

"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."

Note that Jesus did show the disciples his wounds in order to help them believe that He had been raised from the dead.

"But Thomas, (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came."

Jesus must have known that Thomas would not be there. He could have come another day when Thomas was present, but He didn't. In doing so, Jesus set in motion what happened next.

The disciples told Thomas and he doubted the Resurrection. He said what we will always remember about him, "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." 

He doubted ... but then, so must have the disciples because Jesus did show them His wounds.

A week later Jesus appeared again and invited Thomas to check His wounds; and Thomas believed.

And that's how Thomas did a great favour to our Faith. Had He not doubted, had he been there the first time Jesus appeared, Jesus would not have appeared again, and the whole episode would not have happened, and it would not have been recorded. As it happens, the episode was witnessed by the disciples, and written about for us to read and believe.

As Jesus said to Thomas, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe."

See how blessed you are!

27 comments:

  1. And on a slightly funny side..
    One can always say...
    "There's always one"..a saying
    used over and over..! :).

    In fact, Jesus invited Thomas to touch
    his wounds and see for himself..
    Jesus understands our battles with
    doubt and invites us to come near
    and believe..
    Today, millions of people stubbornly want
    to witness miracles or see Jesus in person
    before they will believe in him, but God
    asks us to come to him in faith..!

    And..Thomas then proclaimed Jesus as
    “My Lord and my God” upon his resurrection..
    He spent the following years like the others
    traveling and spreading the gospel..!

    And..I seem to remember that Thomas was killed
    with a spear at St. Thomas Mount..Madras in
    India..!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wonderful comment; thanx Willie. Yes I agree. Today people want to see miracles before they believe. That's why I wrote the book I mentioned in my previous post. To encourage people to see the miracles around us today.

      God bless.

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  2. ...just what my parents always said!

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  3. Funny how God worked that for good, like a lot of things. All the things. Funny isn't quite the right word, but I can't think if another. Maybe amazing would be a better choice.

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    Replies
    1. As you say, it seems there was Divine intervention. Jesus could well have appeared at a time when Thomas was present; but then the incident would not have taken place.

      God bless, Sandi.

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  4. And it gives us permission to have doubts and questions.

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    Replies
    1. Indeed Liz. Doubts help us understand our Faith better. Asking questions is often necessary.

      God bless.

      Delete
  5. John 11:16: "Thomas therefore, called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, Let *us* also go, that we may die with him". The same disciple: should we be thinking more of this commitment of Thomas?

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    Replies
    1. I guess at the time all the disciples were confused and did not understand Jesus. See how Peter one moment says he will be with Jesus and the next he denies Him.

      It's good to see you here again, David. Thanx. God bless you.

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  6. I like how this Gospel shows up year after year on the weekend after Easter as a good reminder.

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    Replies
    1. Indeed, a good reminder for us.

      God bless, Kathy.

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  7. I have always felt this way about Brother Thomas, but you, my friend, have done a great job of putting it into words. LOVE it.
    ;-)

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    Replies
    1. Thank you so much for your kind words, Jack.

      God bless you and Sherry.

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  8. We are blessed beyond measure, Victor. It's amazing how the Lord can love us even when we have doubts.
    Blessings!

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    Replies
    1. Yes, God knows we have doubts; they are a result of our human nature and the free will to choose which He has gifted us. Without the means to doubt we would not have the free will to choose.

      God bless, Martha.

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  9. That's what I always was told and believed.

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  10. Until now, I felt ashamed of my doubts, believing that made me less a Christian. Thank you for this wonderful explanation.

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    Replies
    1. Jesus understands our doubts, Mevely. He knows that humans have an enquiring mind. God created us this way. We enquire, we ask, we understand our doubts and by Faith we believe.

      God bless you.

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  11. Great post, you said it all so well.

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  12. Thomas was also the one who said, "Let us also go so that we may die with Him," when Jesus was heading to Jerusalem (John 11:16). He probably wanted to believe but it was too good to be true.

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    Replies
    1. Thomas, and all the other disciples, were confused at the time at what was going on. Jesus understood this and forgave their behaviour.

      God bless, Mimi.

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  13. Dearest Victor,
    Thomas did great work during his life and the region where he died, both of us worked.
    Probably he was the person that worked to sow a seed of Catholicism in the Tamil Nadu region.
    Several of the woman I taught, had their sons and daughters go to Catholic schools and found a better future.
    Religion often went hand–in–hand with good education!
    Hugs,
    Mariette

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Indeed Mariette. Thomas did great works in establishing the Church in Asia. Sadly, he is remembered for his doubting.

      God bless always.

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    2. Dearest Victor,
      People love to use a magnifier on a person for finding a flaw... SAD!

      Delete

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