Home

Fr George's Letter

Details

Written by: Fr George

DOUBTING THOMAS THE TWIN. 

“The virtues build a new person radiating love to the world.”

(Metropolitan Paul (Yazigi) of Aleppo who consecrated our temple.)

“For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

                                                                         (Hebrews 4:15-16)

SUNDAY 19^th April. St. Thomas Sunday. Hieromartyr Theodore of Perge in Pamphylia & his mother Philippa (2^nd). Hieromartyr Alphege, Archbishop of Canterbury (1012).

“For by your doubting, I am taught to believe, by your forked – tongue, that revealed the wound on the divine body that was pierced, I harvest the fruit for myself without pain.”          

                                                                                      (St. John Chrysostom)

“Understand two thoughts, and fear them. One says, “You are a saint,” the other, “You won’t be saved.”  Both of these thoughts are from the enemy, and there is no truth in them. But think this way: I am a great sinner, but the Lord is merciful. He loves people very much, and He will forgive my sins.”

                                                                                        (St. Silouan the Athonite)

“The marks of true watchfulness and prayer are effortless spontaneity, guilessness, childlikeness, overflowing inward joy; tenderness of heart, unfeigned humility, courage (lack of doubt), forthrightness, abundant love, a non-judgemental nature, and genuine active care for people. Even in Russia today, these are the signs of a true elder or eldress. 

                                                            (Hieromonk Damascene (Christensen).

“If you believe what you like in the Gospels and reject what you don’t like, it is not the Gospel you believe but yourself.”

                                                                                       (St. Augustine)

TODAY’S GOSPEL: JOHN 20:19-31. “Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.”  When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”  And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them, if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” So he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.” And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!” Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.”  And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Thomas because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these things are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.”

Thomas, called the Twin, is an intriguing disciple of Jesus. Who was his twin brother or sister? Why was he not with the other disciples at the first appearance of the Risen Lord among them? The answer to these questions we may never know. What we do know is that because of Thomas’s reluctance to believe in the Risen Lord, doubting the other disciples witness, our Saviour delivered unto us the promise “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” This applies to all our brethren, those departed this life, those in the world today and those who will follow in the future. It is our faith or, for many of us, a struggle to believe.

Our doubts and fears are not negative. They enable us to look deeper and to discover more of God’s plan for each of us, our doubts being used to explore and discover God’s great love for us. We are His children and as any parent knows children can be difficult, contentious, doing what we wish they wouldn’t do but we love them be they two years old or fifty years old. How much greater is God’s love. Christ did not chastise Thomas for his unbelief but used it to illustrate a point. If we can proclaim as Thomas did, “My Lord and my God!” His presence will surely be felt. The author of the Gospel leaves us with tantalising insights that Christ did many other signs in the presence of His disciples but doesn’t say what they are. Perhaps knowing Thomas, the Beloved Disciple, John, thought that this was an important incident not just for the disciples but a message for the fledgling church and for all of us down the ages.

                                                                                         Much Love,

                                                                                         Fr. George.

On this St. Thomas Sunday let us remember Fr. Thomas and Reader Thomas that God may grant them “MANY YEARS!”

There will be a meeting of the Church Council after the Divine Liturgy in the Sacristy.