Reader’s Guide: “The Word for Today” Tuesday, April 22, 2014 Read John 20:24-29 Only John tells the story of a second appearance of Jesus to his disciples in a house in Jerusalem. The setting is the same as it was for the first appearance on the evening of the day of resurrection. The doors are still shut – though, significantly, John does not tell us those inside were afraid of the Jews. A week has passed. It has been a week where the followers of Jesus have been telling Thomas, who was absent from the first appearance, that they have seen the Lord. Thomas is not buying their witness. Thomas wants physical proof of the resurrection and appearance of Jesus. Of course this frustrates the others. They can’t provide physical proof. And then, Jesus appears. Jesus offers Thomas what he things he needs – physical proof – but with the appearance of Jesus, Thomas no longer needs this. Once he has seen Jesus Thomas makes the boldest confession found in the Bible – he calls Jesus both Lord and God. In his gospel John has insisted that in Jesus the very presence of God resides. The Word, who was God, became flesh and lived among us! Thomas recognizes that Jesus is God. And then Jesus says some very important words, “Have you believed because you have seen? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.” These words are directed, of course, to all of the followers of Jesus who would come to believe in him over the long centuries since the time of Jesus’ death/resurrection/ascension. These words are directed at you – and me. And so the story has a very powerful function in the scope of John’s gospel. It bridges the gap between the first followers of Jesus – followers who saw him physically – to followers who can never see him physically, yet who have come to see him and believe in him. The story is meant for the first readers of John’s gospel, the members of John’s community who are struggling to remain faithful. And the message is clear. Even those who cannot physically see Jesus can believe in him and thus see him with eyes of faith. John’s concern is with the continuing of the community of believers in Jesus. How are they to continue? How is the church to survive? Can the church survive? Of course, John has already been dealing with that in his many words about the coming of the Paraclete, the Holy Spirit who Jesus promised to send to his followers. Jesus was concerned about the church of the future throughout John’s gospel. In fact, it may not be saying too much to say that the whole purpose of any of our gospel writers was to seek to maintain and strengthen the church of their time and all time. This story is a very important one for us. The story is meant to assure us that we can be a part of the community of God’s people even though we are not privileged to experience the physical presence of Jesus. Thomas stands in both camps. He is like the disciples in the story who were physically with Jesus. But he is also like all of us when he was absent at the first appearance. We are like Thomas. May we come to confess as he did that Jesus is Lord and God.