Believing is Seeing

Last Sunday I focused on Earth Day and Jesus being the risen Lord of all of creation, a topic I’m pretty passionate about. Some in my congregation will likely be relieved that we’re turning back to post-Resurrection stories this weekend, starting with Thomas.

I’m privileged to take in a weekly online practice for church leaders where the lectionary gospel account is read twice and then discussed in breakout groups. I have yet to join the group in real time but always glean much from watching the recording later and hearing the sharing that happens after the group gathers back together. This past week they were looking at Thomas and John 20:19-29.

Some of the comments gave me pause and I put them out there this week for you to consider too. We tend to make this story all about Thomas and his doubt and need to touch and see as though this is somehow a weakness. However, someone raised the question of why Jesus chose to come the first time knowing that Thomas wasn’t there. Did Jesus use this as a time to yet again show grace and that He was patient enough to be willing to return again and again if it meant that people would understand and believe? Was this a teachable moment and example of His immense care for the disciples’ well-being? We know that Thomas went on to be the first missionary to India and have a profound impact on the Church.

Someone else likened Thomas to those who have been afraid to come back to worship since Covid and who show up later than others. They are at square one when the rest have been coming for a while and are settled back in to this new normal. Do we show these folks the same welcome and joy and patience? As the body of Christ, are we labeling them somehow for their needing more time before returning, or are we able to integrate them easily and compassionately?

All of the disciples had some work to do to accept Jesus and come to their own belief that this was real. Some still struggled with this after. Some in the pews may also question if this is “really church” without things being done the way they remember, with ongoing restrictions of some kind in many places. We all bear wounds and scars from this time, of the cost and the anxiety and fear around being church and how God was asking us to live when going out of our homes and pretty much everything we used to do seemed risky on some level. We have work to do too, accepting that this new world and way are real and that Jesus still sends us out. Part of that work is gently listening and exposing our scars and wounds, thanking God that we have made it through, and telling others our story.

Thomas said “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.” Someone in the group remarked that we tend to put our own conditions on Jesus. How would you finish the sentence - “Unless I ________ I will not believe”? A powerful thing to ponder as Jesus again offers us His peace and invites us to grow His mission by the Spirit.

How gracious is our God that even we who can resist Him are still welcomed to be part of the rescue plan? How blessed are we that we are forgiven our doubt, our fear, our denial, our complacency? How amazing that Jesus keeps coming back to us, wooing us to faith and belief that can change the world despite, and more likely through, our scars? May our answer to being sent in Jesus’ name be yes.