WHERE DID THOMAS GO?
Many of my friends are calling me these days knowing Bracebridge is flooded and wanted to know how I was doing. I told them that I was actually drowning, and they should send some money to save me or doing some crowd funding.
When every one of them was hiding behind locked doors for the fear of authorities and the leaders, where did Thomas go? When the disciples rejoiced seeing upon the risen Lord, where did Thomas go?
- Where did Thomas go while other disciples were hiding behind locked doors? I think Thomas might have gone to be alone and pray. Thomas knew that his call was special and unique. In those days, in the time of Jesus, finding a good and solid Rabbi wasn’t that easy and even if a person finds one, he would not be accepted as his disciple right away. They have to go through a lot of tests and challenges. Thomas might have gone to so many other rabbis and got disappointed and found in Christ the living God and recognized Him as the Messiah and thus Thomas joined the other disciples and said, “Lord, to whom shall we go, you have the words of eternal life”. Its Thomas who said when Christ said that He was going to the Father, “Lord, how can we know the way?’ And Jesus answered him saying, “I am the way, the truth and the life and no one can come to the Father except through me”.
- Where did Thomas go while all other disciples were at home for the fear of authority? I think he might have gone to visit the people whom Jesus healed, and he might have gone to visit the people who listened and enjoyed the teaching of Christ. While other rabbis and the pharisees were teaching the punishment of God, Jesus talked about the love of God and while others were looking at the sick and the disabled as cursed by God, Christ glorified God healing them and giving them life.
Even his mere visit with those people might have increase his faith in Christ. We become good when we are around good people and as we come to Church, our faith will increase, and we can experience God.
- Why didn’t Thomas believe when the other disciples said, “We have seen the Lord and He is indeed risen?” I think Thomas wanted to test others saying, “Unless I put my finger in his wounds and my hand in his side, I will not believe”. When Christ appeared to Thomas, there came the ultimate faith expression of all from Thomas saying, “My Lord and My God...” you are not only Lord and you are also God”, the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. He was, He is and He will be. And everything moves and has life in, through Him and with Him.
- There is a tradition that says when Blessed Virgin Mary was taken up to heaven body and soul, Thomas was the only disciple who witnessed the beautiful event and when he proclaimed the good news, the other disciples didn’t believe him saying to him, “When we proclaimed the Resurrection of Christ, you didn’t believe and how come now you want us to believe you” Then Thomas was given another blessing to understand the spiritual calling and thus he went to Asia especially to India to preach the good news. Without Thomas, there is not Christ in India. He died for Christ and today we are called to live for Christ. Amen.
