3 July 2014 - seen and unseen

3 July 2014 - seen and unseen

So the other disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord.”

The disciples mean well, of course.  They want to share this life changing experience with Thomas even though he wasn't there.  But their enthusiasm backfires. 

“Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands
and put my finger into the nailmarks
and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

Thomas is a mix of zeal and doubt before the events of the Passion.  He says, "Let us also go, that we may die with Him" (cf. Joh. 11:16)  There is faith in this statement, the desire to stay near Jesus, but also pessimism that it will all come to nothing.  This is how St. Cyril of Alexandria interprets it, "The language of Thomas has indeed zeal, but it also has timidity; it was the outcome of devout feeling, but it was mixed with littleness of faith."  And now the Passion seems to be the final insult.  The hands and feet of Jesus are pierced.  His side is opened.  This is all too real for Thomas.  Not only does all apparently end in failure but he can't even make himself follow Jesus to the cross.  He can't die with him as he had said before.  He had hoped that Jesus was to be the one who would restore Israel, just as did the disciples on the road to Emmaus (cf. Luk. 21:24).  But now, in light of all this, how can that ever happen?  Thomas now has to remain alive to face this apparently hopeless world.

This is the state of his heart when he is told of the resurrection.  To a heart like this the enthusiasm of the others feels more like one more insult.  It seems to ignore his obvious pain.  He feels isolated from the others, like a stranger and a sojourner, rather than their fellow citizens.  If there was to be a resurrection, he might think, why would he be the last to know?  Was he loved less than the others?  No!  Listen to the tenderness with which Jesus reveals himself to Thomas:

Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands,
and bring your hand and put it into my side,
and do not be unbelieving, but believe.”

Jesus does not simply allow this situation where Thomas doubts and is the last to know.  He uses it as a blessing to all future generations.  Saint Gregory the Great tells us:

The disbelief of Thomas has done more for our faith than the faith of the other disciples. As he touches Christ and is won over to belief, every doubt is cast aside and our faith is strengthened. So the disciple who doubted, then felt Christ’s wounds, becomes a witness to the reality of the resurrection.

The disciples by themselves are unable to give this experience.  They must welcome Jesus into their midst to reveal himself to Thomas.  As it was with Peter, flesh and blood cannot reveal this.  Thomas does need to come to the other disciples.  This is the place where Jesus wants to reveal himself.  He wants to build a dwelling place of God in the Spirit, not of just one, but of many living stones.  He is building a whole structure, a sacred temple, but he himself must always be the capstone which holds it all together.  He himself is the only firm foundation.  Only in his presence can we say, “My Lord and my God!”  And without that confession everything falls apart.

 He delights to reveal himself.  He doesn't always do it on our schedule as we would prefer.  But it is more than worth it when he does come.  Locked doors won't keep him out.  Even our doubts won't keep him out if we truly want to know him.  He is thinking of you and I when he says, "Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”  He allows Thomas to doubt because from his doubt we are more able to believe.  What wondrous good can he bring even from our doubts?  It is possible that even in our doubts he is preparing our hearts for mission.  He is instilling in us the enthusiasm of the psalmist. 

Praise the LORD, all you nations;
glorify him, all you peoples!
For steadfast is his kindness for us,
and the fidelity of the LORD endures forever.

After his encounter with the risen Christ Thomas, we can imagine Thomas reciting that psalm joyfully.  It is said he goes as far as India spreading the Gospel.  With him let us "Go out to all the world and tell the Good News."