Posts
Homily on John 20:19-31 (Gospel): Outline and Notes
Now, turning our attention to today’s Gospel, let’s summarize:
The Lord appeared to the apostles in a locked room and blessed them, commissioned them, breathed the Holy Spirit on them and Ordained them to go forth forgiving sins and performing holy works.
Thomas was absent, and incredulous to their claims…
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.”
The Lord returns the following week, and once again comes through locked doors and blessed them with his Peace… THEN the Risen Lord initiates His response to Thomas’ objections saying:
“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!”
This translation is so nuanced that contemporary English barely communicates the Lord’s patience and his condescension to submit to ‘scientific’ scrutiny. Here’s a more literal translation that gives a clearer perspective to Christ’s Command to Thomas (and to us):
“(Fere’= reach IN) your finger here, and look/ (Ide = BEHOLD!) My hands;
and (reach IN) your hand here, and “put” (Valle = throw / THRUST / INVEST) it into My side.
Do not be unbelieving, but believing.”
(Spear Pole = 6 feet. Spear Blade Overall Length: 18" & Blade Width: 5 3/8"; once could literally stick a whole hand in that wound!) Based on the shroud, Jesus of Nazareth was physically commanding ... a post-mortem piercing of the heart through the fifth and sixth rib.
And Thomas answered (‘Apekrithe’ =answered / replied / addressed as to be heard by a crowd) and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”
St. Thomas was astounded!
Let us also consider the catechetical stichera from last night's vespers for Thomas Sunday:
Litya #1; Pentecostarion
O Lord, shining with the splendor of Your divinity,
You came through closed doors to Your Disciples,
showing Your pierced side, the wounds from the nails,
dispelling all sadness and sorrow!
“O friends, see that I am not a spirit, but truly man!”
You commanded the disbelieving Disciple to look,
saying: “Prove to yourself, then come and believe!”
He touched Your side with his own hand and cried in faith and fear://
“My Lord and my God, glory to You!”
Why did Thomas, and the other apostles, need to PROVE the resurrection to themselves? Because they were commissioned to go forth to all the world and PROCLAIM that Christ is risen, and that OUR freedom from sin and death is BECAUSE of Christ’s suffering and death..
and we cannot witness to that which we don’t truly believe… So, in every generation, the Lord raises unflinching witnesses Like the Holy Glorious Greatmartyr, Trophy-bearer, and Wonderworker, George, who is also celebrated today.
Tone 4 (from the Menaion, for St. George, by the Studite)
Come, brethren, let us praise in spiritual songs
the ever-memorable Martyr George!
His endurance was harder than diamond;
he fervently declared himself for Christ!
He faced dangers and bore with hardships,
hardening his perishable body to suffer torment!
His love overcame earthly nature,
enabling the lover to REACH his Beloved through death://
Christ our God, the Savior of our souls!
Out of the many catechetical stichera available, I chose this particular one because it illustrates the attainment of blessedness through suffering. St. George declared Jesus to be HIS Lord and God and he was able to REACH IN and take hold of the eternal life promised by the LORD through his martyric death because he was CONVINCED of the Resurrection in his heart just as St. Thomas was in his.
In Conclusion, the Gospel of St John says…
“39. And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.”
And what are some of the other signs the Lord has wrought? Those stories are not confined just to the official lives of the saints. Those are your stories of pain, endurance, faith and triumph because you are convinced that Christ is Risen.
And if you’re NOT (yet convinced), the Lord will walk right into the locked room of your heart and stand in front of you for as long as it takes for you to recognize his divine presence in your life.
Christ is Risen!
