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St. Charles Episcopal Church - Saint Charles, IL

The Second Sunday of Easter - Easter 2 RCL Year A

Sunday, May 1, 2011                                                                                                                                                                                     

Acts 2:14a,22-32 – Psalm 16 –1 Peter 1:3-9 – John 20:19-31

Rev. William R. Nesbit, Jr.

In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Amen.

On Friday, Catherine Middleton and Prince William tied the knot in a ceremony watched by millions around the world. The most amazing thing I heard was from a man in Malaysia who, while in the midst of a protest about his government, with tear gas and riot police in abundance, called into the BBC to comment on the wedding updates he had been hearing, during the riot, over his phone. I have to say he brings multitasking to a whole new level!

I am not a royal watcher, like many in America, but it has been almost impossible not to get drawn in to this event. One cannot contemplate the marriage of the new Duke and Duchess of Cambridge without remembering that other fairytale wedding, of the Prince and Princess of Wales, and it’s eventual collapse. Because of this, my initial emotion throughout the weeks leading up to the event has been one of sadness and pity, mixed with a sense of impending doom, and so when they did come to mind, I found myself praying for their protection and strength. Then, I was struck by a small video that the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, put out in preparation for the wedding. In it he spoke a little about the couple, and a little about what they were doing. It turned me around. He said that marriage is a deeply hopeful event, because it speaks to the core of humanity. At the center of every human being is a profound mystery. The real meaning of marriage comes from the assertion that that profound mystery is worthy of a lifetime of exploration. No one before had ever captured so succinctly for me the central meaning of marriage. He went on to say that he was very hopeful for the health and success of their marriage because of their clear sense of duty and that they are deeply unpretentious people. In his words, I too found hope. Hope for William and Catherine, but hope also for all married persons.

So, what does all this have to do with Thomas, or the resurrection of Jesus? Well, more than you might think. Marriage is just one aspect of the new life that comes through resurrection. The Bishop of London, Richard Chartres, speaking at the ceremony, described the sacramental power of new life by saying, “Marriage should transform as husband and wife make one another their work of art.” In the weeks ahead we will witness again the full power of the resurrection in action. On this journey we will see lives changed, and not just lives long ago, for the power of the resurrection to change lives is just as strong today as it was back then. As the small band of scared disciples hiding in the upper room for fear of the Jews is transformed into a troupe of bold preachers, we will witness the building of the church as those preachers spread the Gospel to the ends of the earth.

Today we heard the story of Thomas, the young disciple in whom there is no deceit. He appears to have a sense of humor similar to Jesus, at least it looks like that to me when the two engage in a wonderful exchange of witty banter when Thomas is first called to be a disciple. Thomas is named the twin, but never do we find out who his twin is. Because he always appears in the list of apostles between Matthew, son of Alphaeus and James, son of Alphaeus, some scholars assume he is another son of Alphaeus and the twin of either Matthew or James, but that is only one of many answers. My favorite answer comes from the apocryphal book, The Acts of Thomas. In that book Thomas is named the twin brother of Jesus. Hmmmmm. I guess that's why the book is apocryphal!

We don’t really know that much about Thomas, but legend has him going first to Syria and then on to India where he is remembered as the founder of many churches throughout Asia. In the West he is known usually as “doubting Thomas,” but in the East he is a highly respected disciple, the equal of Peter and Paul. In our Gospel today, we get to see Thomas change from doubter to confessor as he sees the resurrected body of Jesus, still bearing the marks of his torturous death, and shouts, “My Lord and my God!” This exclamation would begin his career as a missionary, taking him again beyond the locked door, but this time in a wholly different way. He would be the first of many.

The mystery of the resurrection of Jesus has much to say about the mystery of what it means to be truly human. More than anything else, the resurrection places hope at the core of all that it means to be human. When we believe, hope empowers everything we do. It is an awesome power, a truly awesome power. It is the power to see the world through God’s eyes. It is the power to see the kingdom of God in the midst of this fragile world, and then go out and make it so. Somebody, ninety-some odd years ago shared the gospel story with a young polish boy by the name of Karol Joseph Wojtyla (VoyTEEah), and I’m sure they had no idea the impact their action would have on the world, but they did it none the less. Today in Rome that young Polish boy was beatified as John Paul the Great. Every time we share the story, we release that wild spirit into the world. Every time we let hope for the future guide our acts, we live into the power of the resurrection. Now is the time. Let the wild Spirit of the resurrection loose again. Unlock the door and go out. Share the gift of everlasting life the way God does; abundantly. Share the story widely. Who knows, you may even plant seeds that will one day grow into a saint. Wouldn’t that be something to hope for. Amen.