Second Easter

John 20: 26

Eight days later, his disciples were again in the room. This time Thomas was with them. Jesus came through the locked doors, stood among them, and said, “Peace be with you.”

Political campaigns often boil down to a few short sound bites, carefully edited and produced at tremendous cost by professionals who specialise in such a product. After a debate, a candidate’s professional staff works the room of reporters putting a positive spin on what their candidate said and how the debate was handled. If the candidate misspoke, the opponent will be quick to use those words against him or her. Sometimes such a phrase can sink a campaign.

Thomas, remembered by most of us as being the apostle who doubted Jesus’ Resurrrection, needs a public relations team desperately. To this day we will call a person a “doubting Thomas” who doesn’t believe what everyone else has come to believe.

A good PR person would insist that we call him “Thomas the Faithful” or the “Brave” or the “Determined.” Thomas was not about to believe unless he was given something to believe in, and then he tells us he will believe wholeheartedly. Remember, all the other apostles had already seen Jesus.

It was easy for them to proclaim the Resurrection. But they were not the ones hiding fearfully in the upper room. Who was the only one not there? Thomas. It isn’t so hard with a little spin to make Thomas special. That’s what the resurrected Jesus does ultimately to all the apostles – not just to him but to us also, if we are doubters (or believers) like Thomas.