Newsgroups: bit.listserv.christia
Date:         Sun, 20 Dec 1992 16:53:42 EST
From:         JEK@NIHCU.BITNET
Subject:      Thomas the Apostle (21 Dec)

     THOMAS THE APOSTLE (21 DEC)

     The Apostle Thomas (Hebrew or Aramaic for "twin") was also
called "Didymus" (Greek for "twin"). He was absent when the Risen
Lord appeared to the other apostles on the evening of Easter Day,
and refused to believe that Christ had indeed risen until he had
seen him for himself, but when he had seen Him, he said to Him, "My
Lord and My God." (John 20:19-29)
     Because of this episode, he has been known ever since as
"Doubting Thomas." But we ought also to remember his earlier words,
when Jesus announced His intention of going to the Jerusalem area,
brushing aside the protests of His disciples that His life was in
danger there, at which Thomas said to the others: "Let us also go,
that we may die with him." (John 11:7,8,16) If Thomas was
pessimistic, he was also sturdily loyal.
     At the Last Supper, Jesus said: "I go to prepare a place for
you.... And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know." Thomas
replied: "Lord, we know not whither thou goest, and how can we know
the way?" To this Jesus answered: "I am the way, the truth and the
life." (John 14:1-6)
     Thomas is mentioned again (John 21) as one of the seven
disciples who were fishing on the Sea of Galilee (Sea of Tiberias)
when the Risen Lord appeared to them. Aside from this he appears in
the New Testament only as a name on lists of the Apostles.  A couple
of centuries later a story was circulating in the Mediterranean
world that he had gone to preach in India; and there is a Christian
community in India (the Kerala district) that claims descent from
Christians converted by the the preaching of Thomas.
     A recently discovered work called the Gospel of Thomas is a
collection of sayings attributed to Jesus. I know of no scholarly
support for the notion that it is the work of the Apostle Thomas,
but some scholars think that some of the sayings in it may be
authentic sayings of Jesus.

     POEM

These things did Thomas hold for real:
 the warmth of blood, the chill of steel,
the grain of wood, the heft of stone,
 the last frail twitch of blood and bone.

His brittle certainties denied
 that one could live when one had died,
until his fingers read like Braille
 the markings of the spear and nail.

May we, O God, by grace believe
 and, in believing, still receive
the Christ who held His raw palms out
 and beckoned Thomas from his doubt.

(Thomas Troeger, 1984, Psalter/Hymnal of the Christian Reformed
Church)

     PRAYER (traditional wording)

   Almighty and everliving God, who didst strengthen thine apostle
   Thomas with sure and certain faith in thy Son's resurrection:
   Grant us so perfectly and without doubt to believe in Jesus
   Christ, our Lord and our God, that our faith may never be found
   wanting in thy sight; through him who liveth and reigneth with
   thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

     PRAYER (contemporary wording)

   Almighty and everliving God, who strengthened your apostle
   Thomas with sure and certain faith in your Son's resurrection:
   Grant us so perfectly and without doubt to believe in Jesus
   Christ, our Lord and our God, that our faith may never be found
   wanting in your sight; through him who lives and reigns with
   you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
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