Week 23 of the Church year
പുതുഞായർ
Thomas was not there when Jesus first appeared, and he will not believe second-hand. A week later Jesus comes back, through locked doors, and shows him his hands.
On Easter evening Jesus stands among the frightened disciples, shows his wounds and breathes the Holy Spirit on them. Thomas is absent and refuses to believe. Eight days later Jesus returns, invites Thomas to touch his wounds, and Thomas says: my Lord and my God.
New Sunday is eight days after Easter, the day Jesus appeared to Thomas. Our Church, which traces its faith to St. Thomas, keeps it with special love. It is also Youth Sunday.
Thomas’ doubt did not shut him out. Jesus came back for him.
ഈ ഞായറാഴ്ചയുടെ വായനകൾ
Jesus appears to the disciples; a week later Thomas says “My Lord and my God!”
Lift up your eyes; the fields are ready for harvest.
Joseph, at thirty, is set over all the land of Egypt.
Remember your Creator in the days of your youth.
Do not say “I am only a youth”, for I am with you.
He will feed his flock like a shepherd and carry the lambs in his arms.
By his wounds you have been healed; you have returned to the Shepherd of your souls.
Be strong in grace, my child; if we die with him, we will live with him.
Jesus appears to the disciples; a week later Thomas says “My Lord and my God!” This is the Gospel of the day.
Open in five scenesJoseph is raised to power at thirty, and Ecclesiastes tells the young to remember their Creator. Jeremiah is told not to say “I am only a youth”. Paul urges young Timothy to be strong in grace.
References follow the official lectionary of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church. Your parish may read them in a different order.
Pick a scene to see what happens in it and what is easy to miss.
On Easter evening the disciples are behind locked doors for fear. Jesus stands among them: peace be with you. He shows them his hands and side, and they rejoice.
The risen body still has wounds. Jesus is known by his scars.
As the Father sent me, so I send you. He breathes on them: receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven.
God breathed life into Adam (Genesis 2:7). Here Jesus breathes new life into his frightened friends.
Thomas was not there. When the others say they have seen the Lord, he says: unless I see the nail marks and put my hand in his side, I will not believe.
Thomas is the one who said earlier, “let us also go, that we may die with him” (John 11:16). He is brave, not weak.
Eight days later, doors locked again, Jesus comes and says to Thomas: put your finger here; do not doubt, but believe. Thomas answers: my Lord and my God! Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe, says Jesus.
John never says Thomas actually touched the wounds. Seeing Jesus was enough.
Jesus did many other signs not written here. These are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and have life in his name.
The blessing on “those who have not seen” is for every reader of this Gospel, including us.
The verse to keep
“തോമാസ് അവനോടു: എന്റെ കർത്താവും എന്റെ ദൈവവും ആയുള്ളോവേ എന്നു ഉത്തരം പറഞ്ഞു.”Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”
Thomasതോമാ
One of the twelve, called the Twin. By tradition he brought the Gospel to India.
“Twin” (Aramaic; Didymus in Greek)
The disciplesശിഷ്യന്മാർ
Hiding behind locked doors on Easter evening.
“—”
തോമായ്ക്കായി യേശു വീണ്ടും വന്നു
Thomas has a bad name he does not deserve. He was the one who once told the others they should go to Jerusalem and die with Jesus. He was not a coward. He was a man who had seen his friend crucified and could not bear to hope again on someone else’s word.
Jesus does not scold him. He comes back, a week later, to the same locked room, and offers Thomas exactly what he asked for. Thomas does not need it. He sees Jesus and says more than anyone else in the Gospels has yet said: my Lord and my God.
On Youth Sunday this matters. Young people often have honest doubts and are told to stop asking. Thomas shows that doubt brought to the community, and kept there, can end in the deepest faith of all. Our Church traces its own faith to Thomas. We can be patient with those who, like him, need to see for themselves.
കുടുംബമായി സംസാരിക്കാം
What is a doubt or question about faith that you have never said out loud?
Two minutes after the audio. Everyone gets a turn, and nobody is interrupted.Young people: ask one older person in your parish how they came to believe. Older people: listen to a young person’s question without correcting them.
My Lord and my God! Risen Jesus, you came back for Thomas. Come to us in our doubts, show us your wounds, and bless the young people of our Church with a faith that is truly their own. Amen.
The whole year
Every Sunday of the Church year, season by season: readings, the Gospel and a question for the family.
Sunday 2 of 7 in Kyomtho