Message of Abbot Paul - Sunday 16th April 2023
Abbot Paul • April 15, 2023
Yesterday was such a busy day, which included a rather grand wedding and a baptism. If I tell you there were no less than fourteen bridesmaids, that might give you an idea of the number of guests and all that went with it, yet it was also homely and informal and such a lovely couple. The baptism, too, was a very happy affair, with more small children present than I have seen altogether in a long while, and all so well behaved. Then a large number of our Ukrainian friends came for the blessing of Easter food parcels and we remember them and all Eastern Rite Christians, who celebrate Easter today. An exhausting day, but one that was full of joy and thanksgiving for the gift of life, love and family.
I’ll write briefly on today’s Gospel, because it deserves a book or at least a series of lectures, rather than a message or a short homily. It is John’s account of Jesus’ two appearances in the upper room, the first on Easter Sunday evening, the other a week or eight days later, that is today, the Octave of Easter, (Jn 20: 19-31).
“In the evening of that same day, the first day of the week, the doors were closed in the room where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews. Jesus came and stood among them. He said to them, ‘Peace be with you’, and showed them his hands and his side. The disciples were filled with joy when they saw the Lord, and he said to them again, ‘Peace be with you.
‘As the Father sent me,
So am I sending you.’
After saying this he breathed on them and said:
‘Receive the Holy Spirit.
For those whose sins you forgive,
They are forgiven;
for those whose sins you retain,
they are retained.’
Thomas, called the Twin, who was one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. When the disciples said, ‘We have seen the Lord’, he answered, ‘Unless I see the holes that the nails made in his hands and can put my finger into the holes they made, and unless I can put my hand into his side, I refuse to believe.’ Eight days later the disciples were in the house again and Thomas was with them. The doors were closed, but Jesus came in and stood among them. ‘Peace be with you’ he said. Then he spoke to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here; look, here are my hands. Give me your hand; put it into my side. Doubt no longer but believe.’ Thomas replied, ‘My Lord and my God!’ Jesus said to him:
‘You believe because you can see me.
Happy are those who have not seen and yet believe.’
There were many other signs that Jesus worked and the disciples saw, but they are not recorded in this book. These are recorded so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing this you may have life through his name.”
The climax to the account come in the words of Jesus, “Blessed are they who have not seen and yet believe.” We are among those who have not seen and yet believe, but would believe were it not for the testimony of Thomas?
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