John 20:19-31 19 It was late that Sunday evening and the disciples were gathered together behind locked doors, because they were afraid of the Jewish authorities. Then Jesus came and stood among them. “Peace be with you,” he said. 20 After saying this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples were filled with joy at seeing the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father sent me, so I send you.” 22 Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive people’s sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” 24 One of the 12 disciples, Thomas (called the Twin), was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” Thomas said to them, “Unless I see the scars of the nails in his hands and put my finger on those scars and my hand in his side, I will not believe.” 26 A week later the disciples were together again indoors, and Thomas was with them. The doors were locked, but Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands; then stretch out your hand and put it in my side. Stop your doubting, and believe!” 28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said to him, “Do you believe because you see me? How happy are those who believe without seeing me!” 30 In his disciples’ presence Jesus performed many other miracles which are not written down in this book. 31 But these have been written in order that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through your faith in him you may have life. Other readings: Acts 5:12-16; Psalm 118: 2-4, 22-27; Revelation 1:9-13, 17-19 LECTIO Once again John takes us behind closed doors to share a precious encounter with the risen Christ. Many similar accounts circulated among the Christians living in Jerusalem after his death in about 30 AD. The Gospel writers used these same stories for teaching. We are bystanders at a Sunday meeting of the disciples. Suddenly Jesus appears and the disciples are overjoyed. Jesus sends them to spread the Gospel, gives them authority to forgive sins and breathes on them to receive the Holy Spirit. Unfortunately, one of the 12 disciples, Thomas, was not there to share the experience. When the others tell him they have seen the living Lord Jesus, he doesn’t believe them. Rather brashly he declares he will only believe if he can touch the nail scars in Jesus’s hands and the wound in his side. The community meet again the next Sunday. This time Thomas is with them. The Lord appears and greets them. Shockingly, he invites Thomas to probe his wounds by putting his fingers in the torn hands and his entire hand in the hole in Jesus’s side. Confronted with the undeniable reality of Jesus’s presence, Thomas is overwhelmed and declares Jesus to be his Lord and his God. Thomas made a confession of faith because he saw the risen Christ. And Jesus looks ahead to all those who will come after and believe without seeing him physically. MEDITATIO Imagine the joy and excitement that the disciples must have felt when they saw the risen Jesus. Thomas’s faith was ignited as he saw the risen Lord. Do you believe or are you looking for further proof before you can accept Jesus as your living Lord? Jesus said to his disciples: “Peace be with you.” Consider the significance of these reassuring words. ORATIO “My Lord and my God”: this was Thomas’s declaration of faith. It is a simple yet profound prayer. Can you make it your own and pray it throughout this coming week? Be open to God speaking to you as you make your own confession of faith and trust in him. CONTEMPLATIO We continue to celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus. Consider these verses from Psalm 118: “His love is eternal” (verse 4) and “The stone which the builders rejected as worthless turned out to be the most important of all. This was done by the Lord; what a wonderful sight it is! This is the day of the Lord’s victory; let us be happy, let us celebrate” (verses 22-24). Lectio divina is an ancient tradition of reading and engaging with God’s Word. These outlines for the Sunday Gospel readings are published by the Bible Society. Download at Biblesociety.org.uk/lectio. © 2008 United Bible Societies. Bible text Good News Translation, second edition © 1992 American Bible Society, New York