The Holy Women at the Tomb of Christ, 1890 (oil on canvas), Bouguereau, William-Adolphe (1825-1905)/Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten, Antwerp, Belgium/ Photo©: Lukas - Art in Flanders VZW/Bridgeman Images
This week and next week when the gospel relates the story of the disciples walking to Emmaus, we are involved in the appearances of Jesus risen and alive.
Last week, Easter Sunday we listened to the gospel which related how Mary was at the tomb early and found the stone rolled away from Jesus’ tomb. The groundwork was laid for belief in the risen Lord though no one had seen him according to St John’s account.
Mary informed Peter and the disciple Jesus loved that the stone blocking the entrance of the tomb was rolled away. Peter went into the tomb first, but makes no comment and no comment is made about him; but the disciple whom Jesus loved, looked at the evidence, the linen cloths, the cloth covering Jesus’ face and he believed.
Later that night, Jesus stood in the midst of the disciples who were in a closed room because they were afraid of the Jews who may want to kill them.
Friday and Saturday had been a debacle for them: they had left their leader to the authorities and fled in fear; Peter had denied Jesus three times – Judas, one of the disciples had betrayed Jesus and then full of remorse killed himself. What a complete disaster!
Only the women had remained faithful.
Jesus said to the disciples, ‘Peace be with you’. They were filled with joy that their leader and guide stood before them, showing his mutilated body. He was inexplicably alive. And he repeated his greeting, ‘Peace be with you.’ He did not deride them or harangue them or bully them.
He breathed on them which brought back thoughts of the Creation when God breathed life through the Spirit into all things. Blessing and mission for them to continue the mission which the Father had given to Jesus. Now they would be messengers from God of the forgiving love of Jesus, the Risen One.
But nothing goes correctly, this night when Jesus appeared Thomas was not there. He was the disciple who said to the others that they ought to go to Jerusalem and die with Jesus because of the growing hostility against him. He had his chance to do so but he ran for his life like the others.
He did not believe that Jesus had appeared to them; perhaps he did not believe the disciples and their ability to speak the truth but the gospel relates eight days later Jesus returned again and confronted Thomas with his wounds. ‘Doubt no longer but believe’ Jesus demands from him.
Thomas made the statement ‘My Lord and my God’, more a prayer of declaration than a statement, a phrase which Christians say to this day to honour their God and their faith in the risen Lord.
A blessing is given, not to Thomas. He has received enough, but to us, to those who believe in the risen Lord.
‘Happy are those who have not seen, yet believe.’
We will have life through his name today and every day.
Columban Fr Gary Walker is currently living at the Columban house in Sandgate, Brisbane.
