Homily Second Sunday of Easter April 11, 2021

 Homily    Second Sunday of Easter   April 11, 2021

            The setting of our Gospel is Easter Sunday evening.  The disciples are together.  They are scarred, hiding behind locked doors, because of fear. 

          For the past year, many of us have been isolating, hiding in a sense, staying apart and behind locked doors, out of fear of the covid virus.  We can, therefore, identify with these disciples and we know some of their fear.

          Jesus visits them.  But Thomas is not with them.  Thomas, we are told, is called “Didymus”.   Anyone know what Didymus means?  Does it mean ‘the guy who is always missing,’ or ‘the guy who is always late?’   No.  Didymus means twin. 

          Who was his twin?  There are different theories on that, but I think the Evangelist John makes a point of telling us he is a twin to invite us to put ourselves in Thomas’s sandals.  We, with our doubts, our hesitancies to believe, our fear of taking the risk to make the leap of faith, are to see ourselves in Thomas.  We are his twin in hesitancy, in doubt, and in faith.

          Thomas wants to see and to touch.  “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger into the nailmarks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”  

          In this time of pandemic I think we can all identify with Thomas.  We want to see one another, especially family and friends whom we have been missing.  We want to touch, to shake hands, to hug, to stand, not six feet apart, but next to each other rubbing shoulders and to be physically close.   Anybody want that?     Some of you remember Fr Steven Bell, who is a great hugger.  But when this pandemic is over I certainly intend to give Fr Steve a run for the title of greatest hugger.  We all hunger to be close, and for the ability to be in physical contact again.  And that is what Thomas wants, to physically touch and be close to the Risen Lord. 

          Thomas was blessed with a vision of the Lord.  Jesus invited Thomas close, to physical contact: “Then He said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.’”

Put your hand into my side.  That is pretty close, pretty physical.

          We do not have the benefit of such a physical experience of the Risen Lord.  But Jesus does assure us: “Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”   Jesus is speaking about us.

          In just a few minutes five of our young parishioners will be making their First Holy Communion.  It is a special day for them.  It is also a special day for all of us who are making our 99^th or 432^nd or whatever Holy Communion.  It is always special, and always an invitation to open ourselves to the realization of the Lord’s presence in the Eucharist.  To experience, not physical touch like St Thomas enjoyed, but something even more important.  To experience the Lord’s consolation, the Lord’s comfort, the Lord’s challenge, the Lord’s encouragement, the Lord’s hope, the Lord’s forgiveness, the Lord’s Peace, the Lord’s Glory.  In short, the Lord’s real presence. 

          As we used to sing, “Look beyond the bread you eat, see your Savior and your Lord.”   The Gospel today invites and challenges us to look beyond the mere physical appearance of bread and wine, to not see with our physical eyes, but to believe with our hearts and souls,

and to know the Lord’s presence with us, as real and dynamic and powerful as what Thomas experience that week after Easter so very long ago. 

          We are blessed.  “Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”