Now Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe." A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe." John 20:24-27
We all desire to meet Jesus, but our daily living and plans so often get in the way! When the disciples are gathered on Easter Day, Thomas is not among them. We are not told why Thomas is absent from the community of disciples but only that he misses the Lord's appearing to them. It is, when Thomas joins the community, that he encounters the risen Lord and is challenged to trust in Him.
For us today, we also are invited to join weekly on the Lord's Day to be met by the risen Lord in the breaking of bread, in the Holy Eucharist. It is especially in the Eucharistic gathering that we are called to encounter the risen Lord by faith. There is a wonderful Eucharistic hymn, #314, which captures the Lord's invitation to us:
Humbly I adore thee,
Verity unseen,
who thy glory hidest
'neath these shadows mean;
lo, to thee surrendered,
my whole heart is bowed,
tranced as it beholds thee,
shrined within the cloud.
Taste and touch and vision
to discern thee fail;
faith, that comes by hearing,
pierces through the veil.
I believe what e'er
the Son of God hath told;
what the Truth hath spoken,
that for truth I hold.
O memorial wondrous
of the Lord's own death;
living Bread that givest
all thy creatures breath,
grant my spirit ever
by thy life may live,
to my taste thy sweetness
never failing give.
Let us ask for God's grace to make this Easter season a renewed beginning. Join with us, like Thomas joined with the other disciples on the Lord's Day, to meet the risen Lord Jesus! Each Sunday as we gather for Eucharist, the risen Jesus greets us in the Eucharist Bread and Wine, His Body and Blood. In this humble gathering by faith we discover that we have been met and received by our risen Lord. In this weekly encounter is the grace of God given to those who come with humble and open hearts to trust themselves to the Lord and to meet Him! As Jesus said to Thomas so he says to us: "Do not doubt but believe."