Second Sunday of Pascha: Thomas Sunday; Holy and Glorious Great-Martyr, Victory-bearer and Wonderworker George
Read
Acts 5:12-20; Acts 12:1-11
John 20:19-31; John 15:17-16:2
Christ is risen! Truly, He is risen!
The Holy Scriptures, the written Word of God, are meant to give us true life if we only believe in the name of Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Word of God. Today’s reading presents us a wonderful scene of the apostle Thomas demanding proof of Resurrection of our Lord. He had all the rights to ask for that. Just like the rest of the apostles Thomas spent time with Jesus during His earthly life, he heard and believed His teachings, he was an ardent follower of Christ and was even ready to die for Gospel’s sake (John 11:16). When Thomas saw the side and the wounds in hands and feet of Jesus’ resurrected and glorified body, his faith was made certain. Having his desire to see Christ be fulfilled, Thomas cried out: My Lord and my God, glory to You. Church invites us to unite our voiced with Thomas and make his proclamation of faith our own. As followers of Christ we need to find refreshment and strengthening for our faith in this Gospel episode realizing that not sight but faith is what matters in spiritual life.
In our daily lives, especially in challenging and hard moments when disbelief, doubt, skepticism assail upon our souls Jesus gently says to each one of us “Peace be with you!” He wants to give His peace to comfort our troubled hearts and minds. Let us open wide our hearts to receive that inner peace that is bestowed on us by Christ. For in that peace lays great strength and inspiration for our struggle to be holy.