In Nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti. Amen.
Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, called the Twin, 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 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.”
From our point of view there are two ways to take unbelieving Thomas. First, He should know better then. Second; We understand completely. So first, well, he should know better. After all Jesus had told him with all the disciples that he would suffer and die and the third day be raised again. And then when he heard that Jesus was risen, that 10 other disciples said, “We have seen the Lord!” That should have been it. And it should have. But such is the way of unbelief. Unbelief does not want to believe what it hears. It wants faith on its own terms. First, you have the same problem as Thomas. You should know better too. You’ve heard the truth of God’s Word, that He is risen from the dead. You are more blessed than Thomas for it is better to be not seeing and believing than seeing and believing. But still you want faith on your own terms. Picking and choosing what you wish to believe and what you don’t of the holy faith. That can’t stand. For example, you might be tempted to think that same sex marriage is a political issue, of no consequence, and that people should have the right to marry whoever they want. But even natural law, the revelation of God in this creation shows that it is men and women that are complimentary to one another, for the procreation of children and the order of family and society. And it is to be life-long. Divorce is a scandal, where we Christians have fallen and decided that our Lord’s word that “What God has joined together, let man not separate” is only conditioned to how we think or feel at the moment and if things don’t work out, well they don’t work out, and so what is reasonable to our minds wins.
To know what marriage is to see it in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ and his self-giving love to His bride the church. Marriage on this earth is but an image of the eternal union of Jesus to his bride. And our Lord is not neutral. So marriage is a matter both of Law and Gospel. Our Lord wants his children to be like new born babies desiring the pure spiritual milk of the Word, where there is no middle ground. But wavering, choosing the things we like about church and her doctrine, discarding, ignoring or looking past the things we don’t like or don’t seem reasonable or thinking that some teachings don’t really matter isn’t the way of true faith; it is unbelief in the Lord God and his Word. You should know better than that. Unbelief, It doesn’t want to listen to what is preached. Don’t be too hard on unbelieving Thomas. You are right there with him.
So that leads to the second way. Understanding completely why he doesn’t believe. He knew Jesus was dead and he certainly believed in death. We sang about how Thomas believed and knew as real a bloody death, steel and wood, stone, a death rattle as Jesus breathed his last. Because we believe in those things to and know them to be real. We have not seen resurrection although it is preached and although you have proclaimed it yourself. Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! So you empathize with Thomas, you understand Thomas because you can see in him yourself. You understand the weakness he had, the desire to want the proof of the eye and of the touch. You wish you could have such things so that your faith would be strong and secure. But those things you are not given – for Jesus gives something better – His forgiveness and His Word.
Faith is a gift coming through the spirit filled Word. Faith only looks to Jesus where he promises to give himself. And Jesus when he appears to his fearful, unfaithful disciples gives what they need. Peace be with you. Showing them his hands and his side. And they are overjoyed when they see the Lord. You see there is no condemnation from Jesus. Remember they too have heard from the women that Jesus had been raised from the dead. They should be believing, not cowering in fear of the Jews. Jesus is King of the Jews and He was alive. Peter and John had seen the empty tomb and the grave cloths, but yet they did not believe. But to their fearful unbelief, he says, Peace be with you, and this is the absolution, the forgiveness that creates faith in them. He gives what they need, peace beyond understanding and reason. Peace won at the price of his wounds. So that you might have that peace, he says it again, Peace be with you and breathes on them for you the life giving spirit, so that through the Ministers sent now, the Church might be the dispenser of forgiveness of sins. Forgiveness for unbelief, forgiveness for wanting faith your way. Forgiveness for wanting to see with the eye. Forgiveness for it all – all wrapped up in the word – peace.
And just like us look what they still do. Sins forgiven, still afraid, although they told Thomas they had seen the Lord, they are still locked away. And yet, He comes. With the same word again. Peace be with you. And to Thomas, the gracious invitation to see and touch. The chosen apostles were different, they were eyewitnesses of the resurrection of Jesus. So that some of them might write down what they heard and saw, but this as the apostles writes, so that you might believe and have life in the name of Jesus. That is a baptized life, a life that is lot led by reason, or the mind of unbelief. But one of faith because, Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” Faith in your Lord and your God, who is held before you with the words the peace of the Lord be with you always. There is the sign of Christ’s wounds and resurrection that you can see, his very body and blood held before you, that you cry, My Lord and my God! His promise is sure, to give peace and forgiveness, real absolution. And when fear comes, when the mind is filled with sinful unbelief and doubt; Jesus presents himself to you to give blessing and righteousness through his sacred pierced body now alive never to die again. Peace for you now in the wounds and words. Peace and forgiveness for you now and always. Peace be with you.
In Nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti. Amen.
