JESUS SAID, “BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO HAVE NOT SEEN AND YET BELIEVE” John 20:29.

My beloved brothers and sisters in Our Risen Lord Jesus Christ,

CHRIST IS RISEN! TRULY HE IS RISEN!

Jesus said, "Blessed are those who have not seen
and yet believe" [John 20:29].

THE GOSPEL READING ON SUNDAY OF THOMAS

"Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples
were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’
When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw
the Lord. So Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you,’ And when He
had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgiven the sin of any, they
are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.’ Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve,
was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said to him, ‘We have seen the Lord.’ So he
said to them, ‘Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put
my hand into His side, I will not believe.’ After eight days, His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them.
Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, ‘Peace to you!’ Then He said to Thomas,
‘REACH YOUR FINGER HERE, AND LOOK AT MY HANDS; AND REACH YOUR HAND HERE, AND PUT IT INTO MY
SIDE. DO NOT BE UNBELIEVING, BUT BELIEVING.’ And Thomas answered and said to Him, ‘MY LORD AND MY
GOD!’ Jesus said to him, ‘THOMAS, BECAUSE YOU HAVE SEEN ME, YOU HAVE BELIEVED. BLESSED ARE THOSE
WHO HAVE NOT SEEN AND YET HAVE BELIEVED."

Our Risen Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ commissions the Disciples to continue His Divine Mission on earth, granting them "the Holy Spirit" and the power to "FORGIVE… SINS". These words of Our Savior are among the Scriptural foundations of the Mysteries (Sacraments) of Holy Orders (Ordination) and Repentance/Confession. Through the CONSECRATION and EMPOWERMENT of the Holy Apostles by the Lord, and through their ORDINATION of others to continue their Apostolic Mission, Christ’s own Priesthood is communicated to the bishops and Priests of the Church.

The Holy Apostle Thomas, upon our Lord’s invitation, does NOT actually touch Jesus for proof. His magnificent confession, "MY LORD AND MY GOD," testifies both to the Lordship and Deity of Jesus Christ. The Holy Apostle Thomas required direct proof of the Lord’s Resurrection. However, a blessed and true faith is one which trusts in the Risen Christ WITHOUT PROOF. Saint John’s main purpose in writing his Gospel: to lead people to faith in Jesus AS THE CHRIST, THE SON OF GOD, that they may receive LIFE IN HIS NAME.

Saint John Chrysostomos understood Saint Thomas "unbelief" as ultimately beneficial to faith. He believed that Jesus, appearing to the Holy Apostle Thomas eight days after his initial doubts, did so to further confirm the faith of all believers and to demonstrate THE TRUTH OF THE RESURRECTION. The Holy Father and Saint John Chrysostomos point out that the Holy Apostle Thomas’s experience, while in the beginning revealed doubt, ultimately strengthened faith by providing concrete proof and inspiring others to a more profound commitment and sincere belief. Saint John viewed Thomas’s unbelief as a fundamental step in the strengthening faith. By insisting physical proof, the Apostle Thomas gave the opportunity to Christ to provide a more tangible proof of His Resurrection. Appearing eight days later intensified his yearning for belief much greater and to strengthen the faith of all who heard about it and/or even future generations. The holy Chrysostomos emphasized the importance of Christ of revealing the marks of the crucifixion on His Divine body after His Resurrection. This was proof that Jesus was truly the Crucified Savior and that His body was the real one.

Basically, the Holy Father John stressed that doubt, when confronted and overcomed, can direct to a more profound unwavering faith. Thomas’ experience became a most powerful tool of the Resurrection and the necessity of everyone to first seek the truth and then to accept the reality of our Lord’s presence throughout His creation. Our Lord did not rebuke the Apostle who demanded proof but instead invited him to touch Him to see for himself. "Bring your finger here, and behold My hands; and bring thy hand, and put it into My side." It is a fact, however, that doubt proceeds from unbelief. "Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed" Jesus says. For this is faith to receive things NOT seen; since, "faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things NOT seen" (Hebrews 11:1).

It is because of this account in the Holy Scripture that the Holy Apostle Thomas is called "DOUBTING THOMAS. He is a reminder of what not to do in matters of faith; a disciple of Christ or a follower of Christ should simply believe without demanding proof. For Orthodox Christian the holy icon venerated on the Sunday of Thomas is "The Touching of Thomas." Of course, if we are to be honest with ourselves, we must admit that Thomas the Apostle is not the only skeptic that he is made out to be. None of the Holy Apostles believed that Jesus had risen from the dead without seeing for themselves. As a matter of fact that the myrrhbearers discovered the empty tomb and encountered an Angel went to announce the Good Tidings to the Disciples, "And their words seemed to them like IDLE TALES, and they DID NOT BELIEVE THEM" [Luke 24:11]. To doubt is not unique to the Holy Apostle Thomas. It is something that all of our fellow Christians suffer from.

On the Road to Emmaus Christ appears to two perplexed followers: (1) Cleopas whom the tradition identifies as the brother of Joseph the Betrothed to Mary (Theotokos), and thus Jesus’ uncle; and (2) the unnamed follower who according to tradition is the Evangelist Luke himself. The Risen Christ appears to them in a veiled way. He shows tender concern for the feelings of the two men. These disciples are incredulous that anyone could have been in Jerusalem for the Passover and not be aware of the tragic events of the Passion. The Risen Lord censures them for their weak faith, explaining the prophecies of the Old Testament which were fulfilled through His Passion and Resurrection. Christ broke bread with them in the same manner as during the Mystical Supper. Christ’s actions and the experience of the meal by the two men image the Divine Eucharist. At each Divine Eucharist, as we continue to share the Lord’s Mystical Supper, the Risen Christ comes to open our eyes to His MYSTICAL PRESENCE AND TO LEAVE OUR HEARTS BURNING WITH HIS AGAPE.

The Holy Apostle Thomas founded Churches in Meliapur, India, and he converted the wife of the local ruler, for which he was thrown in prison, tortured, and finally pierced with spears. Thus entering the Heavenly Kingdom of his Lord and God.

CHRIST IS RISEN! TRULY HE IS RISEN!

_______________
"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"
– Saint John Chrysostomos
+ + +

With sincere agape in Our Lord’s Mystical and Glorious Resurrection,
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+ Father George