Word to the Wise
Friday, July 3, 2009 - St. Thomas, apostle
[Ephesians 2:19-22 and John 20:24-29]Thomas answered and said to him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him, "Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed."
The old saying goes: Seeing is believing! In this famous scene of Thomas encountering the Risen Jesus that old saying gets a real workout! The reason is that the Gospel of John uses a verb that means at one and the same time seeing AND believing! Thus there appears to be some elaborate double meanings (puns perhaps?) in Jesus final statement. Thomas refuses to accept the testimony of the other apostles that they have "seen" the Lord. He was to "see" the mark of the nails, etc. or else he will not "believe." In the end, Thomas makes his great profession of faith. But Jesus challenges him and us to go beyond appearances to the truth and when we do this we will see with the eyes of faith. Remembering that Thomas was an apostle should make us feel a little better about the difficulties this effort can face in our day and age. AMEN