The new fire of easter

The Gospel describes two appearances of the risen Christ to his disciples. The first appearance took place on the evening of the first day of the week, thus on Easter Day (a week ago); Thomas was not present. The second appearance took place a week later (today, so to speak). This time, Thomas was present. Jesus came to bring new fire, for those who were there and could see Jesus, but also for those who were not there and could not see. We are included in that group as well.

What remains of the group of enthusiastic disciples who had been inspired by Jesus and who had traveled around with him? No more than a small group of fearful people behind closed doors, afraid of the evil outside world. Afraid of the high priests, the people incited by them, and the occupying Roman power. Together, they had condemned Jesus as a troublemaker and eliminated him. The fearful apostles were also angry with themselves because they had abandoned Jesus and fled when he was taken prisoner (Mt. 26:56, Mc. 14:50).

Exhausted and discouraged, they sat there that evening until they suddenly saw Jesus. Very different, and yet recognizable. He was recognizable by the wounds in his hands and his side. And once again, inspiration emanated from him. Three times they heard him say: Peace be with you. Not a reproach that they had abandoned him, but forgiveness; not a condemnation, but a wish for peace. Things were right between them and Jesus again.

They were raised from their paralysis, not only because forgiveness was granted to them, but also because Jesus turned out to need them. They were given a task. They were allowed to share in the mission of Jesus: As the Father sent me, so am I sending you. Suddenly, they realized that they were allowed to continue the work of Jesus.

They became enthusiastic again and received new inspiration. Jesus breathed over them and said: Receive the Holy Spirit. It is like creation, when God formed man from earth and breathed the breath of life into his nostrils so that a living being came into being (Gen. 2:7, cf. Wisdom 15:11 and Ez. 37:3-5). On that Sunday evening, a new creation took place in the room with the closed doors, and a new beginning was made.

What did the commission the disciples received consist of; to what did the Spirit prompt them? The answer is: forgiveness. We heard in the Gospel reading: Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven. They themselves had received forgiveness; now they too had to forgive others. That being forgiven by God goes hand in hand with granting forgiveness to one another is also expressed in the Lord's Prayer: And forgive us our debts, as we have forgiven those who are in debt to us (Mt. 6:12).

In the second half of the Gospel, we are one Sunday further. Once again the disciples were gathered together and the doors were closed. Again Jesus came and stood in their midst. And again Jesus wished them peace. But there was a difference from the previous Sunday. Then Thomas was not present; now he was. He had heard from the others that they had seen the Lord. His reaction was: first see then believe: Unless I can see the holes that the nails made in his hands and can put my finger into the holes they made, and unless I can put my hand into his side, I refuse to believe. Jesus met his desire: Thomas was allowed to see and touch.

Some view this as an argument for typically Catholic matters such as pilgrimages, relics, rituals, and images—things that one can see and touch. Protestants contrast this with sola fide: not seeing and yet believing. But such discussions were not yet on the agenda at that time. Thomas, who was not present, represents the church community for which John wrote his Gospel. This Gospel dates from the end of the first century and probably originated in Asia Minor. The story of the meeting between Jesus and Thomas was written for people who had not personally experienced Jesus, but who had to rely on hearsay. They are explicitly congratulated: Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe. But Thomas (read: all later believers who were not present) is not at a disadvantage compared to the other disciples; Jesus shows him his hands and his side as well (20:20, 27).

Thomas's reaction is telling. He answers: My Lord and my God! Thomas believes; he sees how God is reflected in Jesus. The double name Lord God appears more frequently in the Bible. The name God means that He is righteous and condemns evil. The name Lord means that He is merciful and forgiving. But the combination of lord and god also refers to the imperial ideology of the time.

Domitian, emperor from 81 to 96 AD, was a contemporary of the evangelist John. He was the first emperor to allow himself to be addressed as dominus et deus, lord and god. Thomas's confession of faith is therefore simultaneously an anti-imperial statement. The young congregation for whom John writes turns against state ideology and confesses to the just and merciful God of Israel, who has revealed himself in Jesus.

Just like Thomas, we too may see and touch Jesus: by listening to today's Gospel and by identifying with Thomas, who was not there yet was allowed to see and touch. But there is another way of seeing and touching: we see Jesus and touch him in others around us. Let us listen to the words of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew: I was hungry and you gave me food, I was a stranger and you made me welcome, sick and you visited me, in prison and you came to see me. I tell you, in so far as you did this to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me (25:35-36, 40).

Today's Gospel—about the disciples receiving forgiveness and being commissioned to grant forgiveness to others—is more relevant than ever. Currently, there is a great deal of frustration, hatred, fear, aggression, and cruelty in various places around the world. All kinds of negative feelings are being aroused, including within ourselves. This self-reinforcing chain of hatred and counter-hatred, of violence and counter-violence, can only be broken by forgiveness and reconciliation. Forgiving, however, does not mean forgetting. Jesus, who appeared to his disciples, remained recognizable by the signs of his wounds. The past is not denied, but reconciled. Jesus’ wounds are signs of reconciliation between heaven and earth. From that reconciliation, the disciples were able to preach reconciliation among people. The disciples: that is the small group from the evening of the first day, but also Thomas, who was there a week later. The congregation of John, from more than two generations later, is also included. The congregation gathered in any church whatsoever, more than nineteen centuries later, is also included. Dialogue, reconciliation, forgiveness at the micro and macro levels: this is still the path to peace, the peace that the risen Christ wishes for his disciples, the peace that we must make a reality.