May 1st - Reflection

Second Sunday of Easter
John 20:19-31 (NRSV)
Beholding the wounds of the risen Christ
When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."

But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "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."

A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe." Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe."

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.

Reflection
I can relate to Thomas. This whole thing the disciples were going through was pretty far out to begin with. Just up and leave your job to follow this guy that the religious leaders of the day can't seem to stand. Sure, see a few wonderful things happen like the feeding of the thousands, and Lazarus and so many of the healings and all. But life couldn't seem that real for me if I were Thomas.

There must be some trick or deception in some of this stuff. And even though Jesus was telling it flat out about how he would suffer and die. Somehow, I would be thinking that surely I misunderstood that whole thing. After all, so many of his stories were hard to figure out as will, I must not understand this thing about his death and rising too.

And then we parade into Jerusalem. I'm thinking, sure this is what it's like. We are going to take this place and begin a new rule. But instead, I see Jesus die on a cross after a phony trial and no miracles or show of power at all on Jesus part.

Now we're stuck here in this room, scared to death for standing with Jesus. Someone says he rose again. Yeah right!

And here he is! Here is Jesus! With us now! Show me Lord! Show me and make some sense of all this! Please!

And Jesus shows me! Jesus cares enough to show me after I wasn't there the first time a week ago. Jesus comes to me! Jesus comes and proves to me that he is alive from the dead! Jesus cares about me! Jesus loves me! Jesus has sympathy for me and my doubt!

I don't really care about the wounds at all now! I know Jesus cares for me, loves me, understands me and comes to me! "My Lord and my God!" ---

I believe! I believe and know that my Redeemer lives! My Savior! My God! Thanks be to God!

Prayer
Lord, you have come to me and revealed yourself. You have shown me love and understanding and sympathy and caring and have come to me! I believe! --- Amen