John 20:19-31 When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." 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 them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." But Thomas (who was called the Twin ), one of the twelve, 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 the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe." A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, 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. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe." 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 have come to believe." Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.
Turn to someone today and say, "Easter is not over!" As Christians, we've entered Eastertide; all the passages for the next few weeks center on Jesus' resurrection and teachings that should help us become the disciples we should be. This year Eastertide ends on Sunday, May 24th. This passage is one of those teachings. It was late that first Easter Sunday that while the disciples cowered in fear, Jesus came and stood in their midst. The doors were locked and the disciples thought no one knew where they were, for their fear was that they were next to be crucified. But several things worth nothing: 1) Jesus' message again centers on peace, which builds on even on the presence of fear. 2) Jesus showed them physical evidence of His resurrection, showing them his hands and side. 3) Jesus again shares the word and blessing of peace, but this time accentuates it with a very precious and powerful gift, the Holy Spirit. 4) Sin is still around, so Jesus wants the forgiveness of sins to still take place. 5) Jesus' work continues even when we are absent. 6) Jesus meets our doubts and fears head-on. Jesus wants us to believe. Our belief will allow us to join Doubting Thomas in proclaiming Jesus as Lord and God.
PRAYER: Loving God, thank You for Easter and its message of hope, life, and power. Help me to live in the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit to live in me. Easter is not over for those who believe, so let me be counted among the number of faithful and fruitful believers. I pray in the name of the Risen Christ, amen!
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
