April 7, 2024 – The Second Sunday of Easter
Fr. Cal Calhoun
In the Name of God, the God who returned for Thomas: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Thank God for Thomas! I know I say that a lot about Peter, when we read about one of Peter’s less Rock-like moments. Thank God that the Rock on which the church was built, the one who holds the keys to the kingdom, thank God, that Peter is just as human as you and I.
And so it is with Thomas. I think the “doubting Thomas” label is unfair. Because I think any of the other disciples, had they been absent, would have reacted much the same way. After all, Thomas only wanted what the other disciples had already received, right? A personal experience with the resurrected Jesus. And let’s face it, this was a pretty mind-blowing claim the other disciples hit Thomas with. Jesus, who they know was nailed to a cross and died as was laid in a tomb the other disciples report: “We have seen the Lord.” They had that personal experience! They had seen and presumably touched the resurrected Jesus. They had received the sacrament, the outward and visible sign of the inward and spiritual grace. A sacrament that we haven’t received, right? We are among those billions of Christians in the last 2000 years who Jesus mentions at the end. “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.” That’s us, right?
Here is the thing, if Thomas , one of the 12, who walked and talked and dined with Jesus, if Thomas doubts: why not us? Anyone ever been part of a tradition or community that maintained if you have doubts, your faith is not strong enough? If you have questions, you must have doubts. I think that is so dishonest. I believe every honest journey with God has some doubts. Whether they are the result of a crisis in our lives, or a difficult loss, or simply the result of some deep thinking, doubts are part of every honest journey with God. And so, every one of us is Thomas and Thomas is every one of us.
The wonderful thing in this story is that Jesus returns. Jesus returns for Thomas. He doesn’t leave him wondering or doubting. Jesus shows up for Thomas. And if every one of us is Thomas and Thomas is every one of us, then Jesus shows up for us. Perhaps not in the way we read about today, but Jesus is present in this sacrament, Jesus is present in our difficult moments, and Jesus is present in our favorite moments.
When Jesus shows up for Thomas, what does he say? He says the same thing he first said to the other disciples on his first visit: “Peace be with you.” Those are not the words of someone coming to punish or disparage, those are the words of someone showing up for the sake of Love. Then he says to Thomas, here, touch, get what you need. I find it interesting that our story doesn’t tell us that Thomas actually touched Jesus’ hands, or side, but rather he says, “My Lord and my God!” probably while falling to his knees.
Richard Rohr writes: “We all want resurrection in some form. Jesus’ resurrection is a potent, focused, and compelling statement about what God is still and forever doing with the universe and with humanity. Science strongly confirms this statement using its own terms: metamorphosis, condensation, evaporation, seasonal changes, and the life cycles of everything from butterflies to stars. The natural world is constantly dying and being reborn in different forms. God appears to be resurrecting everything all the time and everywhere. It is not something to “believe in” as much as it is something to observe and be taught by.”
“Resurrection is not something to “believe in” as much as it is something to observe and be taught by.”
And I think that what this passage teaches is not that Thomas is some person of inferior character because he doubts, what this passage teaches is that Jesus shows up, Jesus shows up in the midst of our doubts, Jesus shows up perhaps because of our doubts. And when Jesus shows up, he comes bearing Peace and Love. And this resurrection, so present in every aspect of God’s creation, is something for us to observe, embrace, and be taught by.
All the time, but especially in this season of Easter, Jesus shows up. Amen.
Year B – The Second Sunday of Easter – April 7, 2024 – The Rev. Cal Calhoun
