April 28, 2022

“I will not believe until I see him and touch him with my own eyes and hands and feel the real and resurrected Christ for myself,” Thomas tells the disciples when they share with him the unbelievable news that they have seen the Lord alive again after he was dead and buried. 

Thomas refuses to believe until it becomes real for him. Until he can see and feel for himself. 

And yet, Thomas is still there, with the disciples. Thomas is still showing up among the followers of Jesus and living with them. Even when he cannot believe, he is there, ready, waiting, asking, helping, serving, wondering, questioning.

Thomas’ heart is still commited to the way of God’s kingdom revealed in Christ even when his head is not.

We are called to love God with both our head and our heart, and faith engages us in mind and spirit. (Our bodies, our strength are also part of living our faith but today let me turn our focus to the relationship between head and heart and faith).

The same Greek word, pistis, is translated faith, belief, and trust. Faith includes believing and it includes trusting. Faith is both a work of head and a work of heart. We are often quick to label Thomas as a doubter, and connect that with a lack of faith or at least a lack of strong faith. And yet, I think Thomas’ questions and wonderings and commitment to work out his belief reveals that his trust is strong. 

We need questions to draw us ever deeper into relationship with God who is beyond our understanding. In fact, the work of theology, as it is defined by Anselm, is “Faith seeking understanding,” which is to say that we trust God and God’s love and Christ our Savior as we grow in our understanding of who and whose we are. 

Bring your questions and your doubts. Show up even when you aren’t sure what you believe right now. Even when you are sure of what you believe, keep showing up. Faith is both a work of head and a work of heart. Trust and belief are both part of faith.

And the good news is that for the disciples quick to trust  and for those who have their reservations, for Mary Magdalene and the apostles including Thomas, Jesus shows up, loves, blesses, and sends. For you, too, whatever state your trust and belief is in right now, Jesus shows up where you are, loves you, blesses you, and sends you.

Blessings,
Pastor Drew