Friday of Easter Week: Two responses to the resurrection


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.
[John 20.19-32]


   

-  These two paintings, both by Carravaggio, show us depictions first of the story of St Thomas, and then of the Conversion of St Paul.

We don’t usually talk of Ss Thomas and Paul in the same breath, and in one sense we have no need to, whilst they are part of the same story, their narrative arcs follow different trajectories. To put it simply their stories follow different paths. And yet their responses to the resurrection almost parallel each other. There is disbelief, followed by a moment of revelation followed by shock, finally there is belief. Both set out demonstrating incredulous disbelief, both end up believing following a personal encounter with the risen Christ. In their responses to the resurrection both call Jesus ‘Lord’.

Similarly, both of these saints mirror belief in our own age, which responds to the call to faith either incredulity or outright hostility. St Thomas asks the right questions, and is blessed for it. St Paul literally has his socks blown off when the one to whom he has been hostile pays him a personal visit, and encourages him to change his mind. Both start out disbelieving, both in a moment of crisis find faith and believe. 

-    St Thomas and St Paul, patron saints of our own age, pray for us.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Reflection for the Feast of St Luke

Image
We all, I am sure, have our favourite Gospel. For some it will be Matthew, where Jesus is the man of the fulfilment of history and Biblical prophecy, one in whom the pieces of the of the Old Testament jigsaw come to fulfilment. Others will favour St Mark, with his action packed, breathless life of Jesus, where Jesus only stops to pray, eat, or sleep. Then there is the mystical Gospel of St John which links eternity with human history, a gospel in which earth reached up to touch heaven, and heaven reaches down to earth.   My favourite Gospel is that of St Luke. I like Luke because he is a compassionate storyteller. The Jesus we meet in Luke’s Gospel wis one who links human life into the story of God. From Luke we get our best loved parables, those of the Lost Son (the Prodigal) and the Good Samaritan, stories of a God who comes alongside us when we are in need. A God who hitches up the skirts of his robe and rushes out to meet us with joy, even when we feel at our worst. ...
Read more

Liturgy for the Longest Night/ Blue Christmas service

  Longest Night/   Blue Christmas Service   Hymn:  O come, O come, Emmanuel O come, O come, Emmanuel! Redeem thy captive Israel That into exile drear is gone, Far from the face of God's dear Son. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel.   O come, thou Wisdom from on high, Who madest all in earth and sky, Creating man from dust and clay, To us reveal salvations’s way. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel.   Greeting The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. All:      And also with you.   The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; on those who live in a land of deep shadow, a light has shone. For the yoke that was weighing upon them, and the burden upon their shoulders, you have broken in pieces, O God, our Redeemer.   Today we sit on the Eve of the longest nigh...
Read more

Reflection for the Feast of St Laurence, Deacon and Martyr (Monday 10 August 2020)

Image
Today the Church celebrates the life of St Laurence the Deacon and Martyr. St Laurence is one of my favourite saints because of they way in which he stood up to power, and the way in which in doing so he showed what rally matters in the economy of God. The story of St Laurence is that at the time of his martyrdom the Church was suffering persecution. Laurence had been summoned by the Prefect of Rome to present to him the treasures of the Church, of which he had custody. St Laurence dutifully arrived, bearing not beautiful vestments, expensive silverware and books, but accompanied by the poor and need. “These” he said “a re the treasures of the Church!” , he is also reported to have said "The Church is truly rich, far richer than your emperor."  Of course those in power do not appreciate being made to look foolish, and he sentenced Laurence to death. Laurence was imprisoned prior to his martyrdom, and spent the time preaching and baptising those he was impris...
Read more