Reflection
Feast of Saint Thomas, Apostle
There is a story from the traditions of the Eastern Orthodox Church, of the devil, desperate to return to Heaven, taking advantage of the days after the resurrection, and before Jesus ascends to Heaven. This is based upon the statement in the Apostles Creed that Jesus ‘descended into hell’, understood as “sojourned in the realm of the dead prior to his resurrection” (catholic catechism).
In this gap, the devil disguises himself as the ‘risen’ Jesus and confidently approaches the gates of Heaven. As he approaches, when challenged by the angel on guard to identify himself, the devil announces himself, claiming, “I am Jesus risen.”
The angel asks,
“If you are the risen Christ, show me the wounds of your Passion.”
Of course, the devil has clothed himself in a perfect body and bears no such marks of the wounds inflicted.
He is cast away!
A traditional story, but one that helps us in our own faith journey, no less.
The story echoes Thomas’s need – to see proof of the Passion before believing in the resurrection.
While faith is not a matter of ‘proofs’ being available, nevertheless, Thomas helps us (as does the traditional story) to see the intimate and necessary connection between the Passion and the new life of Resurrection.
They are not separate realities, but the one movement. The redemption won for us by Jesus is one that incorporates fully his passion, resurrection and ascension.
They are not just intimately connected; they are the one reality.
Faith cannot prove this connection, and indeed, it is trust and hope that fuels our belief. However, we are all to human in our need for evidence and reassurance, and here is where we all contribute.
As we see in the gospel account and as we know for our own experience today, when we are joined to the believing community it is so much easier and reassuring to live in our lives in faith.
When Thomas is alone, he doubts. We he is rejoined to the community, he ‘sees’ and has no need of proof!
Your faithful life contributes to the faith of another. It is our fundamental discipleship – a discipleship of witness.
We live in the promise of Jesus,
“Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”
