John 20:19-31
Gospel Reading for Second Sunday of Easter (Year C)
You know that the gospel writers had to streamline the dialogue in scripture. When the disciples came to inform Thomas about the risen Jesus, it reads as thus:
Disciples: We have seen the Lord.
Thomas: 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.
That is far too neat and tidy. Thomas doesn't even show surprise when the disciples tell him that their teacher has returned from the dead. It's like he has had a pre-packaged answer for the resurrection sitting in his pocket for years. There had to be a little more conversation between those two statements.
Peter: We have the seen the Lord.
Thomas: Guys, that isn't funny.
James: No, it's true! Jesus is alive!
Thomas: And I'm Caesar.
Andrew: Thomas, why don't you believe what we're sayi-...
Thomas: (interrupting) Because people don't come back from the dead, Andrew!
Andrew: (quietly) Lazarus came back from the dead...
Thomas: (lets out an exasperated sigh) The only man who could make that happen was killed.
John: I promise you, Thomas, we've seen him.
Thomas: Listen, it's not that I don't want to believe you. I do. Desperately. But I don't want to spend my life chasing some sort of fairy tale. I want to honor his teachings, but let's not kid ourselves.
James: What do you need then?
Thomas: Proof.
Peter: Proof?
Thomas: 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.
It's harder to place the nickname "Doubting" on that guy. He had legitimate questions. Questions that any person who was not in the room would have. Questions that you or I might have.
I admire Thomas's honesty. I have halfway jokingly referred to him as my patron saint. His questions blazed a trail for those of us who would follow. Jesus appearing to him would pave that road and let the church know that even those who had doubts would have a home among God's people.
At the same time, I feel bad that we let Thomas's questions define him. After all, he was the one who proclaimed "My Lord and my God" before the others. When Jesus met Thomas where he was, the doubting disciple moved forward. The doubts did not define him nor restrict his following of God.
I will say this again because I have said this many times before: It is okay if you have questions. There is a long tradition in our faith of question-askers. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Moses asked questions. Job asked questions. And so did Thomas. God loved them all. God loves you with your questions. Don't let anyone else tell you otherwise.