The risen Jesus seems to show a marked preference
for sinners and skeptics.
At least, as we see in today’s Gospel reading,
it is to such as these that he in his mercy
entrusts the tasks of forgiveness and faith.
for sinners and skeptics.
At least, as we see in today’s Gospel reading,
it is to such as these that he in his mercy
entrusts the tasks of forgiveness and faith.
First, the sinners.
It is perhaps understandable that the fickle crowd
who had hailed Jesus upon his arrival in Jerusalem
would quickly turn against him and called for his crucifixion.
The disciples of Jesus, however, had been with him for a long time:
they had heard his teachings and seen his miracles;
they had made the journey with him from Galilee to Jerusalem;
he had called each by name
and given them the joyful task of witnessing to God’s rein.
But by abandoning him in his moment of greatest need,
they committed the sin for which the poet Dante
reserved the deepest circle of Hell:
they had betrayed their benefactor.
And in the aftermath of their betrayal
they now cower in hiding, behind locked doors,
And yet it is to these cowardly sinners that Jesus
comes and speaks the words “Peace be with you”
and to whom he entrusts
the power of the judgment and forgiveness of sins:
“Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them,
and whose sins you retain are retained.”
It is perhaps understandable that the fickle crowd
who had hailed Jesus upon his arrival in Jerusalem
would quickly turn against him and called for his crucifixion.
The disciples of Jesus, however, had been with him for a long time:
they had heard his teachings and seen his miracles;
they had made the journey with him from Galilee to Jerusalem;
he had called each by name
and given them the joyful task of witnessing to God’s rein.
But by abandoning him in his moment of greatest need,
they committed the sin for which the poet Dante
reserved the deepest circle of Hell:
they had betrayed their benefactor.
And in the aftermath of their betrayal
they now cower in hiding, behind locked doors,
And yet it is to these cowardly sinners that Jesus
comes and speaks the words “Peace be with you”
and to whom he entrusts
the power of the judgment and forgiveness of sins:
“Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them,
and whose sins you retain are retained.”
Then, the skeptic.
Thomas the doubter
was perhaps by nature one of those people
who suspects that if something seems
too good to be true
then it probably is false.
He was one who would not believe the testimony
of even his closest companions,
who would not believe unless he was given
concrete—literally tangible—proof.
And yet it is to this skeptical doubter
that Christ appears and bids him to believe
and gives to him the grace to utter
the New Testament’s boldest confession
of faith in Jesus Christ,
the words that state most plainly
the mystery present in the person of Jesus:
“My Lord and my God!”
Thomas the doubter
was perhaps by nature one of those people
who suspects that if something seems
too good to be true
then it probably is false.
He was one who would not believe the testimony
of even his closest companions,
who would not believe unless he was given
concrete—literally tangible—proof.
And yet it is to this skeptical doubter
that Christ appears and bids him to believe
and gives to him the grace to utter
the New Testament’s boldest confession
of faith in Jesus Christ,
the words that state most plainly
the mystery present in the person of Jesus:
“My Lord and my God!”
Sinners and skeptics.
They may seem like odd choices
to become vessels of forgiveness and faith.
But in the upside-down world
inaugurated by Christ’s resurrection
this is precisely what they become.
And it is in fact only fitting once we grasp
the revolutionary mercy of God
revealed in Jesus’ resurrection.
They may seem like odd choices
to become vessels of forgiveness and faith.
But in the upside-down world
inaugurated by Christ’s resurrection
this is precisely what they become.
And it is in fact only fitting once we grasp
the revolutionary mercy of God
revealed in Jesus’ resurrection.
Who better than this frightened band of betrayers
to be entrusted with the ministry of reconciliation?
Who but a sinner knows how deeply we suffer from sin,
and how desperately we need forgiveness?
Who but one who knows from within
the evasions and self-deceptions we employ
to excuse our sins
would know how to apply,
with both mercy and rigor,
the just judgment of God upon the sinner?
Who but one who has committed the worst betrayal,
and yet still hears from Jesus the words “Peace be with you,”
would know how deep into the hell of sin God’s mercy can reach?
to be entrusted with the ministry of reconciliation?
Who but a sinner knows how deeply we suffer from sin,
and how desperately we need forgiveness?
Who but one who knows from within
the evasions and self-deceptions we employ
to excuse our sins
would know how to apply,
with both mercy and rigor,
the just judgment of God upon the sinner?
Who but one who has committed the worst betrayal,
and yet still hears from Jesus the words “Peace be with you,”
would know how deep into the hell of sin God’s mercy can reach?
And who better than Thomas the skeptic
to be entrusted with the confession
“my Lord and my God”?
Who but one whose restless mind
will not rest content with simple answers
could receive the grace to press beyond
the joyful moment of encounter with the risen Jesus
to see what is unseeable,
and to speak something as mysterious and hidden
as the presence of the invisible God
in the human flesh of Jesus?
Who but one who has doubted
knows the time it can take to come to faith,
so as to bear with patience the doubts of others?
Who but one who in their doubt keeps seeking Jesus
can know that even amidst our doubts
the seeds of faith planted by grace can still live?
to be entrusted with the confession
“my Lord and my God”?
Who but one whose restless mind
will not rest content with simple answers
could receive the grace to press beyond
the joyful moment of encounter with the risen Jesus
to see what is unseeable,
and to speak something as mysterious and hidden
as the presence of the invisible God
in the human flesh of Jesus?
Who but one who has doubted
knows the time it can take to come to faith,
so as to bear with patience the doubts of others?
Who but one who in their doubt keeps seeking Jesus
can know that even amidst our doubts
the seeds of faith planted by grace can still live?
We hear in the First Letter of John,
“the victory that conquers the world is our faith.”
This statement might sound to our ears
like a triumphalist affirmation
that faith allows us to trample underfoot
the enemies of God,
that faith is a weapon in the arsenal
of those who are strong and destined for success.
It is a phrase that might bring to our mind’s eye
images Christians striding confidently
through the halls of power
and passing judgement upon all
who succumb to sin and skepticism.
But what if faith’s conquest of the world
looks not like the successful
going from strength to strength,
but like the sinful and the skeptical
grasped by the crucified and risen God?
What if it looks not like those
who wield God’s word as a weapon,
but like people being reborn
through the blood and water pouring forth
from the pierced side of the crucified Christ?
What if it is mercy’s conquest won through suffering?
What if it is Easter?
“the victory that conquers the world is our faith.”
This statement might sound to our ears
like a triumphalist affirmation
that faith allows us to trample underfoot
the enemies of God,
that faith is a weapon in the arsenal
of those who are strong and destined for success.
It is a phrase that might bring to our mind’s eye
images Christians striding confidently
through the halls of power
and passing judgement upon all
who succumb to sin and skepticism.
But what if faith’s conquest of the world
looks not like the successful
going from strength to strength,
but like the sinful and the skeptical
grasped by the crucified and risen God?
What if it looks not like those
who wield God’s word as a weapon,
but like people being reborn
through the blood and water pouring forth
from the pierced side of the crucified Christ?
What if it is mercy’s conquest won through suffering?
What if it is Easter?
According to the logic of Easter
it makes sense
that the victory of forgiveness and faith
would be made manifest
in the sinful and the skeptical.
And this is the great hope Easter offers us.
For all of us are, let’s be honest,
sinful and skeptical—at least some of the time.
All of us know ourselves to have abandoned Christ—
at least some of the time.
All of us know ourselves to have doubted Christ—
at least some of the time.
So Easter is for us.
Easter is the great feast of God’s mercy,
the great feast of forgiveness and faith,
spread before us sinners and skeptics.
Easter is the invitation,
“come and eat, for all is prepared.”
And blessed are we who are called
to the supper of the Lamb.
that the victory of forgiveness and faith
would be made manifest
in the sinful and the skeptical.
And this is the great hope Easter offers us.
For all of us are, let’s be honest,
sinful and skeptical—at least some of the time.
All of us know ourselves to have abandoned Christ—
at least some of the time.
All of us know ourselves to have doubted Christ—
at least some of the time.
So Easter is for us.
Easter is the great feast of God’s mercy,
the great feast of forgiveness and faith,
spread before us sinners and skeptics.
Easter is the invitation,
“come and eat, for all is prepared.”
And blessed are we who are called
to the supper of the Lamb.
