“Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side; do not be faithless, but believing.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “You have believed because you have seen me. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.”
Excerpt, Gospel Reading, Wednesday 3rd July 2024 – JOHN 20:24-29.
So, could it be that the Apostle Thomas was so obstinate that he wouldn’t believe what Christ Jesus said of himself while he was still with them, or he was just too dumb and he couldn’t fathom out and get to understand what he severally said about his death and resurrection on the third day or he was simply hard of hearing?
“For he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him. And when he is killed, after three days he will rise.” – MARK 9:31
See also, MATTHEW 16:21, MARK 8:31-33, MARK 10:32-34, etc.
Severally, well over three different times, Christ Jesus spoke openly to his disciples and told them in clear terms without any ambiguity that he would be killed and buried, and on the third day he will rise.
These people witnessed this same man bring back dead people to life by just mere words of mouth.
They saw him command evil spirits with mere words and such spirits obey. As a matter of fact, some would even start shouting and wailing by merely sensing his presence.
He commanded the winds and waves and they obeyed him. They even witnessed him walk on water.
Therefore, having such knowledge of him and him, having so informed and prepared his disciples of what was to come of him, if one were to be Jesus Christ, wouldn’t it be disheartening to have Thomas so blatantly and crudely still doubt the resurrection?
At some points in this our journey on earth, we, too, have been ‘Thomas’. When in trust we ask God for something in prayer, yet on the side we still do some ‘small something’ just in case. Just like the artiste Timaya, who sang in one of his songs, “I trust in God but I carry cutlass.”
A lady who dates more than one man at a time for the doubt of ‘not carrying all her eggs in one basket’ as she claims, is a bigger Thomas.
And very often, when situation happens with such ladies, their case is usually not like that of Thomas, it most times turns out worse.
The actions of Thomas could more or less be betrayal.
More so like a husband having spent the better part of a quarter of a century with his now aging wife, turns around to bring in a new woman when fortune smiles on him on the excuse of seeking a male child. He takes a young girl barely in her twenties for a wife.
Nevertheless, despite the doubts and theatrics of the Apostle Thomas, today is yet not about him, as he is not the protagonist.
Even after the supposed betrayal of vehemently doubting the resurrection, Christ Jesus, when he came again, not minding Thomas’ obstinacy still beckoned on him to come, see, touch and believe. And indeed, Thomas believed.
Dear friend, our God is a God of second chance.
His aim is to save and restore us back to His fold despite our obstinate ways. Hence, like Christ tolerated Thomas, God keeps on giving us another second chance again and again and again.
Like the Apostle Thomas who on recognising his folly, exclaimed, “My Lord and my God!” We, too, mustn’t take our endless second chances for granted.
Have a fantastic day folks.
#SAINT_THOMAS! #Blessed_Carlo_Acutis! #Pray_for_us!
– Akase F. Agabo.