The Second Sunday of Easter (CL)

John 20:19-31

¹⁹ On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” ²⁰ When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. ²¹ Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” ²² And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. ²³ If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”

²⁴ Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. ²⁵ So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”

²⁶ Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” ²⁷ Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” ²⁸ Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” ²⁹ Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

³⁰ Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; ³¹ but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Many of us, love the confession of St Thomas, but do not fully understand it. Listen to the Psalmist, "Arise, O Lord! Save me, O my God!" In the Old Testament we often find "lord" in capital letters, because the Hebrew states, יהוה which is the "Holy name of God." In the Greek text there is no distinction. Therefore, Is Thomas' confession not, אֱלֹהַ֗י יְהוָ֨ה "O LORD, my God."

Often times our confession can be twisted. There are many Christians, or verbal Christians, who are not actually Christian. It may sound harsh and judgmental. But if you will recall it was at the council of Nicea when the Nicene Creed was first confessed, that there were confessors who made typos in the text to appease there contrary faith. We will often twist the words of our confession so that they are more palatable to our minds.

Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God. He is true man born of the Virgin Mary. He with the Father created all things. Jesus and His Father with the Holy Spirit is the one true God. Jesus was crucified for the forgiveness of sins. He was raised by his Father on the Third Day, in the flesh. Jesus Christ now lives as the firstfruits of our resurrection. St Thomas sees this confession in his simple statement. He knows the salvation, which Simeon saw at Christ's presentation.