Misunderstood Thomas

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!”

Thomas’ story is quite dramatic.

The drama begins when Mary arrives at the tomb.

There’s no body!!!

She tells Peter, who runs to the tomb.  

Sure enough, the linen, but no body!

Fast forward to a group of frightened disciples, except Thomas, gathered in a locked room.

Hearing unconfirmed rumors of a resurrection they don’t understand leaves them perplexed.

Jesus arrives standing among them saying, “peace be with you,” exactly what these disciples need to hear.

Jesus appears showing his hands, side, and scars.

Realizing its Jesus, they celebrate!

Here the misunderstanding occurs.

Thomas just wants to see Jesus’ wounds and scars end experience; peace and instructions to forgive.

It’s not about doubt; he just wants what the others experienced.

Jesus stands among them, scars and all, inviting Thomas to touch his wounds saying, “Do not doubt, but believe”

Doubt is an invitation along our faith journey.

The word “believe” translated from the Greek is Makarios, best translated as an adjective like “happy”, “content”, “at peace”.

Thomas has a revelation and praises God saying, “My Lord and My God!”

Today we lived in turned over worlds.

Some worlds turned over by their doing; scattering communities, broken promises, betrayal of a loved one.

Some worlds turned over create victims; alienated by wavering public opinion, persecuted and tormented by unsupportive, broken systems, demoralized by future hopelessness.

The message is: Sunday after Sunday by Word, Table and Spirit, Jesus shows up in our turned over worlds.