Second Sunday of Easter (John 20:19-31)  04/07/2013

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Several years ago, as a member of the US Navy Reserve, I had the opportunity to participate in a multi-national naval exercise in the waters just south of Ireland. As we prepared for the exercise I learned that I was assigned to be an observer on a German U-boat, a submarine 150 ft. in length with a crew of about 20 people; an up-close and personal experience for sure. The participants of the exercise gathered on the coast of France to discuss the details of the coming week at sea, and after the meeting I met the Captain of the German submarine. He greeted me in perfect English and after a brief introduction he asked me where I had learned to speak German. I told him that, unfortunately, I did not speak German. He was quite surprised at my answer and said, “Do you realize that you will be at sea for more than a week in a German submarine…and you do not speak German?” I assured him that I did realize this was about to happen and that I really did not speak German…I could say “hello,” “goodbye” and “thank you.” “Why would the US Navy send an officer aboard a German submarine who cannot speak German?” he replied. “Because we’re Americans and sometimes we do crazy things,” I answered. He laughed, and did not believe a word of what I said. We arrived at the submarine and he introduced me to the crew, telling them that I did not speak German, but that they should be careful because he did not believe me and I might be secretly collecting information. Several times throughout the first few days the Captain tried to trick me by giving directions or telling funny jokes in German, all to his great disappointment. He struggled to believe the truth of the story that was before him.

Every year, on the Sunday following Easter, we hear the story of the disciple Thomas struggling to believe the truth of the story that was unfolding before him. I know I repeat myself, but I am always saddened to pin the nickname of “Doubting Thomas” on this faithful disciple after hearing the Scripture lessons of nearly every other disciple of Jesus also struggling to believe the Easter story, struggling to believe that Christ died and had truly risen again, destroying death forever. Throughout this past week the daily Scripture lessons have held much wonder and disbelief: we have heard Mary, Peter and John wonder where Jesus had been taken as they approached the empty tomb; we have heard the story of the disciples unknowingly walk the Emmaus road with Jesus; and now we hear of Thomas, the lone disciple absent during Jesus’ first appearance to his closest followers. Thomas was as committed to Jesus as any of the other disciples; as committed to the mission and ministry of Jesus as anyone else. And as the other disciples struggled with the new reality of Easter, the living reality of the resurrected Christ, so did Thomas. What was Thomas really asking from Christ as he said, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.” (John 20:25) Was Thomas really that skeptical in his belief of Jesus’ resurrection, was he that hesitant to believe the words of his friends, or maybe Thomas was simply from Missouri, the “Show Me” state? What is it that we need to believe and follow Jesus in this world?

William Temple, 20th century theologian and Archbishop of Canterbury, wrote of Thomas’ questioning mind toward the resurrection of Christ: Temple wrote, “[Thomas’ reaction] was natural to the temperament of one who demands certainty as a condition of self-committal. His negative [response] is very strong. And such vigor of disbelief plainly represents a strong urge to believe, held down by common sense and its habitual dread of disillusionment.”[i] Thomas was not an intractable skeptic looking for a miracle of proof, he was a devoted disciple looking for something to comfort his unbelief. As soon as Jesus entered the room and offered Thomas the proof he demanded, Thomas proclaimed his belief, “My Lord and my God,” without the need to even touch Jesus. But Jesus’ response to Thomas was direct, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.” (John 20:29) Jesus’ response to Thomas gets to the heart of the central understanding of faith, as described in the Letter to the Hebrews: “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” (Heb 11:1) We are people living in a high technology, rational world and like Thomas we may be tempted to ask for a sign from God; we might be tempted to question the mystery of faith and hold back from committing ourselves too deeply, instead waiting for that dramatic moment that ushers us in to a new reality, but blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.

As the week long naval exercise continued, the crew of the German U-boat managed to navigate their submarine within a thousand yards of a large warship. Following the rules of the exercise, they fired a green flare into the sky to indicate they had successfully approached the ship without being detected and then quickly went to the waters below. As we descended from the surface we could hear a terrible noise from just outside the submarine, and we quickly learned that the wiring and outer canister of the flare had become jammed in the outer door. As the inner door was opened in an effort to clear the wiring, water poured into the submarine and continued to flood into the space as the crew unsuccessfully tried to clear the jammed outer door. The Captain glanced at me after several tense moments of watching the struggling crew and I mentioned to him that if he went back to the surface the water pressure would be much less and the wiring might be easier to remove. The submarine returned to shallow waters and the wiring was finally removed. The Captain smiled at me and said, “Now I believe you cannot speak German. If you could speak German, that flooding would have got it out of you for sure!” Like the disciple Thomas, when we encounter significant events that make us stand before the truth and fragile nature of life, when we face facts that make us acknowledge the beauty and mystery of God’s creation, we are able to easily count our blessings. The dramatic events of life speak loudly and clearly to our inner spirit and often compel us to seek the arms of God. Our rational minds are satisfied for a time, but Jesus invites us to go beyond the truth of this way. The blessings and grace given to us through the death and resurrection of the living Christ are given to us each and every day. They are given to us in the beautiful and simple graces of everyday life, some quite obvious and yet some hidden in the depths of our hearts. May you know that in all that you do and in all that you have been given, the grace and love of God abides. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.

Amen.