Do Not Doubt but Believe

Do Not Doubt but Believe

Jn 20: 19 - 29

First Sunday of Easter

Today’s Gospel reading is about Jesus’ appearance to a group of disciples. Jesus has just been crucified and buried. And now, there are reports that he has risen from the dead and has appeared to some of them.

The reading begins with a description of how these disciples felt at these moments. They met behind closed doors. This indicated how afraid they were. And then suddenly, despite the closed doors, Jesus appears in their midst. The first words of the risen Jesus were: “ Peace be with you.”  Then he showed them his hands that bore the marks of the nails that pierced them. He also showed them his side which bore a wound caused by a lance that pierced his side.  Then the Gospel says that the disciples “rejoiced when they saw the Lord.” Then Jesus again says: “ Peace be with you.”  
 The repeated greetings of peace seem to assure and comfort the fearful disciples that now, all is well. They need not fear anymore of any possible reprisals neither from the Jews nor from Jesus himself whom they all abandoned at Gethsemani and at the cross. But most of all the words of peace gave them that joy that was possible only upon seeing their Lord overcome death itself by rising back to life. He has risen as he has said. And he was right there in front of them, speaking and openly showing his wounds.

Then having given them the gift of his peace, Jesus then gives them yet another gift, the gift of the Holy Spirit.  By breathing on them saying: “ Receive the Holy Spirit,” Jesus breathes new life into their tired and fearful souls. The breath of God in Genesis 1 brought life to a lifeless Adam. In breathing his Spirit on his disciples, Jesus was breathing life not only on them but on the whole world where he was sending them. Through his resurrection, Jesus was re-creating the world, making things new, as when God created the world in the beginning.

This story of Jesus’ appearance to his disciples would have ended beautifully this way. But the gospel tells us that the story did not end there. One of the disciples, Thomas, was absent. And when the disciples told him about what had happened, he was skeptical saying: “ 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.”  For Thomas, it wasn’t a question of whether he believed or not. He would believe, if he sees some proof. His belief was conditional. Unless that condition was satisfied, there was no way he would believe their story.

So a week later, as the gospel narrates, Jesus' disciples were again assembled in the house. This time Thomas was with them. Again, although the doors were shut, Jesus came in their midst and once more gave them his greetings of peace. Then he tells Thomas to put his finger on the marks of the nails in his hand and put his hand on his side. Jesus then tells him: “ Do not doubt but believe.”  Then Thomas answers the Lord with those famous words: “ My Lord and my God!” After Jesus satisfies Thomas’ s conditions for believing, he then tells him: “ Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe. “

Jesus had to appear to his disciples for them to believe that he indeed has risen from the dead. Had he not appeared before them, they would not have believed his resurrection. Jesus appearing to his disciples in the flesh after having been crucified and buried is perhaps the most incredible event in human history, an event unparalleled by no other event in the world. This is why this incredible event lies at the center of our Christian faith. St Paul would tell us: “ If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile… ( 1 Corinthians 15:17) He is practically telling us that if Jesus did not rise from the dead, then all that we believe in is useless. He even says that “we are all people most to be pitied” if Christ hasn’t risen from the dead (1 Corinthians 15: 18).

It is true that only in seeing the risen Lord did his disciples believe. But Jesus somehow transforms this manner of believing to another level;  that while seeing is believing, Jesus now tells us, that believing is seeing. We believe not because we have seen.  Rather we see the Lord because we believe in him. No one in our present day has seen the risen Lord. But by believing in him, we are able to see the risen one truly present in our midst. 

The gift of the risen Lord is always peace. There is peace for all who believe. There is peace for those who behold his wounds knowing that no amount of tragedy or pain will ever overcome the hope that the Lord grants to those who believe in him.

The gift of the risen Lord is joy. There is joy for those who continue to believe in his presence. Just as his disciples rejoiced upon seeing him again in their midst, so too will all those who believe, experience that unparalleled joy of being with the Lord.

The gift of the risen Lord is the Spirit. It is the Lord’s Spirit who renews and creates in us a heart that is ready to face anything in this world. The Lord has conquered the world. Do not doubt but believe. Amen.

" For I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. "  -  1 Corinthians 15: 3- 5