John 20:19-31 - Seeing is believing!

On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them: "Peace be with you." When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you." And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them: "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."

Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, 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 in His hands the print of the nails, and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand in His side, I will not believe."

Eight days later, His disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. The doors were shut, but 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; and put out your hand, and place it in my side; do not be faithless, but believing." Thomas answered Him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to Him: "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe."

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.

"Eye" see you...lol
photo by Joe Green, used under the creative  commons license
check out more photos at:http://www.flickr.com/photos/joeandsarah/

O, the Graciousness of God! His apostle, Thomas, being absent when He appeared to the rest, was not heavily rebuked by Christ when, at last, he saw Him.  Instead, Christ invited Thomas to touch Him, to look upon His wounds and to realize that He truly is Risen!  Thomas response was to glorify Christ, calling Him his Lord and His God. How could he respond otherwise?

Christ called blessed those who have not seen and yet have faith. Would that not be me? And, yet, it is not. Have I not seen the workings of Christ in my life? Do I not sense His Holy Spirit nudging me towards Him?  And all about me, when I look, I see the Grace and Faithfulness of God.  All of this I see and I respond, "my Lord and my God!"

O Lord, I have not seen Your resurrected body yet I believe. I have seen Your mighty acts in my life and I thank You, that having conquered death, You can bestow upon me eternal life. Breathe on me, O Lord, so the Holy Spirit can reign in me. This day I call upon You, knowing Your resurrection is the beginning of all new life! May that life be in me today, amen.