ST. PAUL'S - CARONDELET
  • HOME
  • Subscribe
    • Make a Reservation
  • ABOUT
    • Visitors
    • What We Believe
    • Parish Leadership
    • Staff
    • History
    • Photos
    • Artwork
  • Sermons
  • GROW
    • Adult Spirituality
    • Children's Ministry
    • CARE >
      • BBQ Volunteer Sign Up
      • Lawn To Lavender Sign Up
      • Sharing Community
  • Events
    • Calendar
    • Rent our Space
    • Weddings
    • Recent Recorded Programs
  • GIVE
    • Donate
    • Pledge for 2021
  • Blog

The Three Faces of Thomas

4/21/2017

 
In the Synoptic Gospels Thomas is only mentioned as one of the twelve; but in John’s Gospel, Thomas’ words are recorded on three different occasions. The first time is in Chapter 11 after the death of Lazarus and Jesus wants to go to Bethany. Although the other disciples attempt to dissuade Jesus, Thomas says, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”[i] At the last supper during the long discourse following the washing of the disciples feet Jesus begins to explain that he must leave to prepare a place for the disciples. “Thomas said to him, ‘Lord we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’”[ii] The third time Thomas speaks is the Sunday following the Resurrection of Jesus. Thomas was not present on Easter Sunday evening when Jesus appeared to the other disciples. When Thomas does return the rest tell him that Jesus appeared to them, but Thomas refuses to believe it and says to the others, “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.”[iii] What follows seven days later is Jesus’ confrontation of Thomas’ lack of faith in what the other disciples told him. Although Thomas makes a profound profession of faith when he encounters the risen Lord, he will always be remembered as “Doubting Thomas”.
 
Thomas is far more complicated than to be known only as the doubter. He certainly did doubt, but he also demonstrates a sense of stoicism and practicality in his approach to faith in Christ. In the first episode Thomas is willing to suffer and die with Jesus. This stoic quality is incongruent with the man who doubts that Christ rose from the dead. In the second episode, Thomas is asking what appears to be genuine interest in following Jesus, but he is not clear about where Jesus is going. There are all sorts of arguments about Thomas’ and the other disciples’ lack of faith and understanding; but he does ask the question. It is the third episode that forces Thomas to be remembered along with all the other nonbelievers. Let’s face it; Thomas got a bum rap in John’s Gospel. We don’t remember Peter as “Peter the Denier”, or the young man, sometimes known as Mark or John Mark, in Mark’s Gospel who followed the arrested Jesus, but ran away naked when the Temple guard grabbed his clothing. There is no reference to “Naked Mark”. We could remember the rest as “Afraid Andrew, Cowardly Philip, Deserter James” and so on because the disciples deserted Jesus when he was arrested. The point is that we do not remember any of them by these monikers except for poor Thomas.
 
Perhaps I sympathize with Thomas because his reactions are so often mirrored in our reactions. I think there are times when we are stoical about things that we are getting ready to face or going though. There are times when we stand up for our faith and what we believe and do not give even a second thought to what criticism might follow. There are times when it is important to ask questions about things that are not clear to us. Thomas was asking Jesus for direction; don’t we do the same thing in our prayer life. Finally, is our faith so crystal clear that we never question the Scriptures, the Creeds, the teaching of the Church and the Church’s direction about certain matters?
 
The revelation of God did not cease with the close of the Apostolic Age. God continues to teach, to disclose God’s love and will throughout all the ages of humankind. Thomas’ statement that gave him the nickname of “doubting” was answered in just seven days by a direct appearance of Jesus. Blessed are you who continue to hope and wait for answers all the while remaining faithful to our Lord Jesus Christ.
A blessed Eastertide to all of you!

 
[i] John 11:16b
[ii] Ibid, 14:5-6
[iii] Ibid, 20:25b
                                                             ~ Fr. Al Jewson 

Comments are closed.

    About

    Rector's Corner posts written by Pastor Rebecca.

    News and events added by web designer Emily O.

    Archives

    April 2021
    March 2021
    January 2021
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    April 2020
    January 2020
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017

    Categories

    All
    Advent
    Baptism
    Discipleship
    Easter
    Events
    Humor
    Lent
    Liturgy
    Ministry
    Neighborhood BBQ
    News
    Prayer
    Rectors Corner
    Stewardship

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly
Photo used under Creative Commons from aulbarnes08
  • HOME
  • Subscribe
    • Make a Reservation
  • ABOUT
    • Visitors
    • What We Believe
    • Parish Leadership
    • Staff
    • History
    • Photos
    • Artwork
  • Sermons
  • GROW
    • Adult Spirituality
    • Children's Ministry
    • CARE >
      • BBQ Volunteer Sign Up
      • Lawn To Lavender Sign Up
      • Sharing Community
  • Events
    • Calendar
    • Rent our Space
    • Weddings
    • Recent Recorded Programs
  • GIVE
    • Donate
    • Pledge for 2021
  • Blog