Reflection for the Second Sunday of Easter 2010
10 April 2010

by Mary Teresa Morris, OSB

I think that all of us can, in some way, relate to Thomas. Some things just don’t make sense. Math beyond a one variable equation is an example. Multiplying letters by more letters and dividing by more letters to end up with a number? Incomprehensible. Sister Linda Herndon used to take an inordinate amount of pleasure in letting me know when she was going to teach imaginary numbers: numbers that don’t exist multiplied by other numbers that don’t exist can yield more non-existent numbers. According to her they can even, at times, yield real numbers. This would usually trigger a Thomas-type response: I need empirical data. Nice, touchable, countable discrete data.

The search for discrete data answers for a question in this gospel. Just where was Thomas? If Peter had been late or missing; well, that’s Peter. But where was Thomas? I think that he was looking for discrete data: something he could count on to prove that he and the others had not spent the last 3 years of their lives on a fool’s folly.

He may well have gone to grave looking for something that he could count on: some physical evidence that this stupendous event had indeed happened. He was looking for something tangible, real, physical; something upon which he could count.

He had verbal proof in the witness of the women. However, the testimony of women was worthless in his culture. No one would believe them. The men, Peter and the beloved disciple, examined the tomb but their evidence was paltry at best. All they had as evidence was an empty tomb and rolled up burial clothes. Surely something that fantastic, that miraculous would have left something more tangible than a bunch of sweaty, blood-stained ritually unclean clothes. Thomas may have though that Peter, being Peter, found the right grave only because the beloved disciple was with him. He may well have come away thinking that the grave had been robbed and that an empty tomb, a missing corpse and these new tales from the group would be enough to get them all killed. On his way back, he may have come to the decision that he hoped the others were coming to: one can’t count on words, better to cut our losses and get out of Jerusalem and try to salvage their lives.

However, when he returned he was not met with nice, tangible exit plans. Oh no. Instead, he gets met with an ecstatic bunch declaring that Jesus appeared to them, spoke to them, and breathed this holy spirit thing on them and now they were able to forgive sins in Jesus’ name. Terrific. Did anyone shake his hand, hug him, get a snip of hair or clothing? Nothing empirical. Nothing tangible. Just more words. More stories. No wonder he fired back with his demand, his wish, his begging for something, anything upon which he could count.

And in that demand/plea, he speaks for all who first hear the message of the resurrection. No way. Not possible. Dead is dead. Jesus knew that his response would be ours as well. Jesus knew that we would need to be able to look to one person who at one point in physical time and space touched the physical body of the Risen Christ.

Jesus would have preferred that Thomas would nothave needed the empirical data; however, in reassuring Thomas, Jesus reassures us. As he reassures Thomas, he reassures the disciples, and us of life after the resurrection and life after his ascension. He reassures us that he will be just as present in less tangible forms of physical contact: the Word, the Eucharist, the Liturgy of the Hours, each other.

Thomas’ touch of the Risen Christ with his fingers makes it possible for my heart and soul to be touched by the same Risen Christ.

However, imaginary numbers are another matter.

© 2010 Benedictine Sisters of Mount St. Scholastica
Atchison, Kansas