Text

  1 Text|           text of the Gospel (John 20:19-29), which was precisely
  2 Text|              text of the Gospel (John 20:19-29), which was precisely
  3 Text|             of the Gospel (John 20:19-29), which was precisely the
  4     | above
  5 Text|            Lord". However, Thomas was absent from this first meeting.
  6 Text|         degree that is not merely and absolutely equal with the other Disciples (
  7 Text|               enable the Disciples to accept without any doubt the miracle
  8 Text|               than any other sin, the accusation that was dreaded even by
  9 Text|            must admit that He neither accuses nor reprimands Thomas that
 10 Text|           confusion from his soul. In addition, since he wanted to be honest
 11 Text|              such sensitivity with an adjective which, no matter how it "
 12 Text|            and yet believed", we must admit that He neither accuses
 13 Text|              Christ, but the personal affirmation and unconditional dedication
 14     | afterwards
 15 Text|          rendering him throughout the ages the due official honour
 16 Text|               the story that does not allow us to see the sequence in
 17     | Although
 18     | among
 19 Text|              the eyes! If already the Ancients knew how deceiving and unreliable
 20 Text|               year.~It remains now to answer a final question. How, in
 21     | anything
 22 Text|          Thomas was with them", Jesus appeared again in their midst and
 23 Text|            believe from a superficial appreciation of the events, but positively.
 24 Text|              Pascha, which the Church appropriately calls "New Sunday", should
 25 Text|              the Disciples were again assembled, "and Thomas was with them",
 26 Text|               carefully, using as our basis the appropriate text of
 27 Text|             mentioned. Yet, with this beatitude the Lord wants to remind
 28     | becomes
 29     | been
 30 Text|             or gestures and words. He begins again by saying "peace be
 31 Text|               Lord a condition of his belief. Thus, "after eight days"
 32 Text|               become disbelieving but believing".~Now, we must here take
 33 Text|     confession, in a way "the highest bidder" of the miracle of the Resurrection.
 34 Text|             possibly result in such a blatant error and injustice. We
 35 Text|            popular piety has dared to call an Apostle of such importance
 36 Text|            been really faithless, was called "the disbelieving Thomas"
 37 Text|               see and to believe.  In calling St Thomas to touch Him,
 38 Text|              the Church appropriately calls "New Sunday", should rightly
 39 Text|              fear of the Jews", Jesus came and stood in their midst.
 40 Text|           world, we must examine more carefully, using as our basis the
 41 Text|             only after seeing. In any case, even the other Disciples
 42 Text|               that on this Sunday, we celebrate the memory of the Apostle
 43 Text|               It is obvious that such characterisations are incompatible with the
 44 Text|               God gave to man.  It is characteristic that St Thomas did not satisfy
 45 Text|             all the above, it becomes clear that St Thomas (who during
 46 Text|                      If Pascha is the climax of the entire ecclesiastical
 47 Text|            unpretentiously the deeper collective memory and conscience of
 48 Text|               disbelief.  When Christ concludes the dialogue with the stirring
 49 Text|          roots to be blessed, without condemning in any way those who use
 50 Text|         meeting with the Risen Lord a condition of his belief. Thus, "after
 51 Text|              his Teacher, in order to confess Him not simply with his
 52 Text|          deeper collective memory and conscience of the one people of God),
 53 Text|                Thus, it was a natural consequence that "the disciple rejoiced
 54 Text|             other Sundays of the year~Consequently, it was only natural that
 55 Text|            Sunday", should rightly be considered as "the first after the
 56 Text|               for this reason that he considers those who trust these deeper
 57 Text|    perspective and to understand this contradictory impression in the Christian
 58 Text|          faithless or traitor. On the contrary, St Thomas without having
 59 Text|               so. Perhaps it would be correct to say that it is no longer
 60 Text|             precisely Himself who was crucified and not some ghost, He said
 61 Text|              see the sequence in this curious subject.~To be able to see
 62 Text|             touch Christ, he does not dare to do so. Perhaps it would
 63 Text|             points, popular piety has dared to call an Apostle of such
 64 Text|             this prominent and great, day the Church should have appointed
 65 Text|            belief. Thus, "after eight days" when the Disciples were
 66 Text|            the Teacher who vanquished death. Such total surrender to
 67 Text|         already the Ancients knew how deceiving and unreliable witnesses "
 68 Text|         affirmation and unconditional dedication of the entire existence
 69 Text|          Apostle seems to be the most defamed man of God in popular piety.
 70 Text|              moment of human weakness denied Christ, was not characterised ~
 71 Text|            even by the Fathers of the Desert. St Peter, who at a moment
 72 Text|             this unwavering faith and devotion of popular piety to the
 73 Text|             When Christ concludes the dialogue with the stirring statement "
 74 Text|         simply with his lips, he made direct experience of his meeting
 75 Text|             surrender to the ocean of divine lordship is surely expressed
 76 Text|               these positive and even doxological points, popular piety has
 77 Text|               the accusation that was dreaded even by the Fathers of the
 78 Text|               throughout the ages the due official honour in the worship
 79     | during
 80 Text|           witnesses "the eyes and the ears" are for mortal people,
 81 Text|           three official years of the earthly life of the God-Man did
 82 Text|              the climax of the entire ecclesiastical year, then the first Sunday
 83 Text|              his belief. Thus, "after eight days" when the Disciples
 84 Text|               passion, and that would enable the Disciples to accept
 85 Text|              of the God-Man could not endure a trace of reservation,
 86 Text|              the God-Man (both in its entirety or in its particular details).
 87 Text|             not merely and absolutely equal with the other Disciples (
 88 Text|              result in such a blatant error and injustice. We must rather
 89 Text|       superficial appreciation of the events, but positively. He now
 90 Text|              Christian world, we must examine more carefully, using as
 91 Text|            disbelief and of doubt par excellence. It is obvious that such
 92 Text|              nature that leads him to exclaim the incomparable confession "
 93 Text|              dedication of the entire existence of the Disciple to the Teacher
 94 Text|               possible not an already existing disbelief.  When Christ
 95 Text|              his lips, he made direct experience of his meeting with the
 96 Text|              which, no matter how it "exposes" the Apostle phenomenally,
 97 Text|              popular piety hastens to express such sensitivity with an
 98 Text|             divine lordship is surely expressed by the pronoun "My" to the
 99 Text|             that popular piety (which expresses spontaneously and unpretentiously
100 Text|              even the most tender and expressive women who first saw the
101 Text|             projects His peace before extending His hands and His side as
102 Text|             to flesh". And, it is his exuberant nature that leads him to
103 Text|     confession that none other of the eye witnesses of the resurrection
104 Text|              God a multitude of other faculties and feelings, not only the
105 Text|          suppose that this unwavering faith and devotion of popular
106 Text|          projected in the eyes of all faithful and of history, because
107 Text|              of God in popular piety. Faithlessness was, more than any other
108 Text|               was dreaded even by the Fathers of the Desert. St Peter,
109 Text|           peace and now free from his fears he is able to see and to
110 Text|             that he might in some way feel Him again "flesh to flesh".
111 Text|      multitude of other faculties and feelings, not only the eyes! If already
112 Text|        divinity and uniqueness of the fife of the God-Man (both in
113 Text|               remains now to answer a final question. How, in view of
114 Text|            tells him "bring here your finger and see my hands and bring
115 Text|         plunge himself with hands and fingers into the open wounds of
116 Text|             any way those who use the five senses, which again God
117 Text|              again in their midst and followed precisely the same order
118 Text|             while the disciples "were gathered for the fear of the Jews",
119 Text|               senses, which again God gave to man.  It is characteristic
120 Text|               Thomas was not merely a general and irresponsible recognition
121 Text|           precisely the same order or gestures and words. He begins again
122 Text|            was crucified and not some ghost, He said to them "peace
123 Text|               appropriate text of the Gospel (John 20:19-29), which was
124 Text|            that on this prominent and great, day the Church should have
125 Text|               my hands and bring your hand and place it in my side
126 Text|               Apostle and Saint. What happens, then? Surely, something
127 Text|              He may also free Thomas' hard heart. And immediately afterwards
128 Text|             reason that popular piety hastens to express such sensitivity
129 Text|           from this first meeting. By hearing from the other Disciples "
130 Text|            may also free Thomas' hard heart. And immediately afterwards
131 Text|          first after the one", namely higher then all other Sundays of
132 Text|             confession, in a way "the highest bidder" of the miracle of
133 Text|           eyes of all faithful and of history, because of the Resurrection
134 Text|       addition, since he wanted to be honest both with himself and with
135 Text|             the ages the due official honour in the worship of the Church. ~ ~
136 Text|         Church, therefore, rightfully honours him as Apostle and Saint,
137     | However
138 Text|             Peter, who at a moment of human weakness denied Christ,
139 Text|               Thomas' hard heart. And immediately afterwards He tells him "
140 Text|               call an Apostle of such importance and fiery confession "disbelieving
141 Text|         understand this contradictory impression in the Christian world,
142 Text|              leads him to exclaim the incomparable confession "My Lord and
143 Text|            such characterisations are incompatible with the Apostle and Saint.
144 Text|            concerns us. Peace was the indispensable presupposition and the only
145 Text|              such a blatant error and injustice. We must rather suppose
146 Text|    disbelieving Thomas"? In the first instance, it is necessary to state
147     | into
148 Text|                 Although St Thomas is invited to touch Christ, he does
149 Text|              not merely a general and irresponsible recognition of the Divinity
150 Text|       Disciples, such as St Peter, St James and St John) is now particularly
151 Text|          gathered for the fear of the Jews", Jesus came and stood in
152 Text|              these two words that the key lies for the solution of
153 Text|               If already the Ancients knew how deceiving and unreliable
154 Text|           this reason that our people know it as "Sunday of St Thomas".
155 Text|             his exuberant nature that leads him to exclaim the incomparable
156     | least
157 Text|          these two words that the key lies for the solution of the
158 Text|         official years of the earthly life of the God-Man did not stand
159 Text|               Him not simply with his lips, he made direct experience
160 Text|          correct to say that it is no longer necessary to do so. He has
161 Text|      surrender to the ocean of divine lordship is surely expressed by the
162     | make
163 Text|              be unto you", so that He may also free Thomas' hard heart.
164 Text|           become disbelieving", which means that He only safeguards
165 Text|              the Lord, as was already mentioned. Yet, with this beatitude
166 Text|           question. Something must be missing in the story that does not
167 Text|            eyes and the ears" are for mortal people, then the God-man
168 Text|               has received from God a multitude of other faculties and feelings,
169     | namely
170 Text|              And, it is his exuberant nature that leads him to exclaim
171 Text|           Disciples (since he did not need anything more than the others
172 Text|         anything more than the others needed in order to believe), but
173 Text|              Yet, he is not projected negatively, as one would believe from
174     | neither
175 Text|           Church appropriately calls "New Sunday", should rightly
176     | none
177     | nor
178 Text|           doubt par excellence. It is obvious that such characterisations
179 Text|           Such total surrender to the ocean of divine lordship is surely
180     | off
181 Text|            hands and fingers into the open wounds of Christ so that
182     | others
183 Text|           power that would remove the panic and confusion from the scenes
184 Text|             of disbelief and of doubt par excellence. It is obvious
185 Text|             in its entirety or in its particular details). It is precisely
186 Text|             James and St John) is now particularly projected in the eyes of
187 Text|             roots man has in order to perceive truth. It is for this reason
188     | Perhaps
189 Text|               of popular piety to the person of the God-Man could not
190 Text|           Divinity of Christ, but the personal affirmation and unconditional
191 Text|              to see the matter in its perspective and to understand this contradictory
192 Text|           side" so that they might be persuaded that He is precisely Himself
193 Text|              it "exposes" the Apostle phenomenally, does not prevent in the
194 Text|               and bring your hand and place it in my side and do not
195 Text|            sincerity made him seek to plunge himself with hands and fingers
196 Text|         positive and even doxological points, popular piety has dared
197 Text|             How, in view of all these positive and even doxological points,
198 Text|       appreciation of the events, but positively. He now stands out to a
199 Text|            only safeguards him from a possible not an already existing
200 Text|             people of God), could not possibly result in such a blatant
201 Text|           presupposition and the only power that would remove the panic
202 Text|           Peace was the indispensable presupposition and the only power that
203 Text|        Apostle phenomenally, does not prevent in the least rendering him
204 Text|              more right to remind the priority of these deeper roots man
205 Text|               for the solution of the problem that concerns us. Peace
206 Text|               this reason that Christ projects His peace before extending
207 Text|               surely expressed by the pronoun "My" to the Risen Christ.
208 Text|             His hands and His side as proof.~Thus, it was a natural
209     | rather
210 Text|            Thomas without having been really faithless, was called "the
211 Text|             general and irresponsible recognition of the Divinity of Christ,
212 Text|             satisfy himself simply by rejoicing when he saw the Risen Lord,
213 Text|         Sunday of the entire year.~It remains now to answer a final question.
214 Text|  characterised such behaviour.~We are reminded, therefore, that while the
215 Text|              not prevent in the least rendering him throughout the ages
216 Text|           that He neither accuses nor reprimands Thomas that he believed
217 Text|           could not endure a trace of reservation, even for a moment, in all
218 Text|              God), could not possibly result in such a blatant error
219 Text|              God-man had all the more right to remind the priority of
220 Text|            calls "New Sunday", should rightly be considered as "the first
221 Text|              which means that He only safeguards him from a possible not
222 Text|      crucified and not some ghost, He said to them "peace be unto you".
223     | same
224 Text| characteristic that St Thomas did not satisfy himself simply by rejoicing
225 Text|        Perhaps it would be correct to say that it is no longer necessary
226 Text|             words. He begins again by saying "peace be unto you", so
227 Text|          panic and confusion from the scenes of the passion, and that
228 Text|           that he believed only after seeing. In any case, even the other
229 Text|        passion and sincerity made him seek to plunge himself with hands
230     | seems
231 Text|            way those who use the five senses, which again God gave to
232 Text|               hastens to express such sensitivity with an adjective which,
233 Text|               not allow us to see the sequence in this curious subject.~
234 Text|              must here take note of a series off substantial details:~
235 Text|          stood in their midst. Before showing "His hands and His side"
236 Text|              was, more than any other sin, the accusation that was
237 Text|            disciples. His passion and sincerity made him seek to plunge
238 Text|             that the key lies for the solution of the problem that concerns
239 Text|           fear and confusion from his soul. In addition, since he wanted
240 Text|              a Saint with appropriate spiritual splendour. Thus, we see
241 Text|            with appropriate spiritual splendour. Thus, we see that on this
242 Text|        popular piety (which expresses spontaneously and unpretentiously the
243 Text|           life of the God-Man did not stand out at all among other Disciples,
244 Text|                but positively. He now stands out to a degree that is
245 Text|          instance, it is necessary to state that popular piety (which
246 Text|            dialogue with the stirring statement "you have believed -because
247 Text|       concludes the dialogue with the stirring statement "you have believed -
248 Text|             the Jews", Jesus came and stood in their midst. Before showing "
249 Text|      Something must be missing in the story that does not allow us to
250 Text|              sequence in this curious subject.~To be able to see the matter
251 Text|             take note of a series off substantial details:~ Although St Thomas
252 Text|          namely higher then all other Sundays of the year~Consequently,
253 Text|              one would believe from a superficial appreciation of the events,
254 Text|             injustice. We must rather suppose that this unwavering faith
255 Text|          vanquished death. Such total surrender to the ocean of divine lordship
256 Text|            for all Christian time the symbol of disbelief and of doubt
257 Text|         believing".~Now, we must here take note of a series off substantial
258 Text|            touch Him, Christ does not tell him "do not be disbelieving"
259 Text|             immediately afterwards He tells him "bring here your finger
260 Text|               make, not even the most tender and expressive women who
261 Text|             our basis the appropriate text of the Gospel (John 20:19-
262 Text|             St Thomas (who during the three official years of the earthly
263     | throughout
264 Text|              became for all Christian time the symbol of disbelief
265 Text|            who vanquished death. Such total surrender to the ocean of
266 Text|            God-Man could not endure a trace of reservation, even for
267 Text|          characterised ~ faithless or traitor. On the contrary, St Thomas
268 Text|           that he considers those who trust these deeper roots to be
269 Text|              has in order to perceive truth. It is for this reason that
270 Text|             unto you". It is in these two words that the key lies
271 Text|              personal affirmation and unconditional dedication of the entire
272 Text|             in its perspective and to understand this contradictory impression
273 Text|            became, with his fiery and unique confession, in a way "the
274 Text|             concerns the divinity and uniqueness of the fife of the God-Man (
275 Text|           expresses spontaneously and unpretentiously the deeper collective memory
276 Text|       Ancients knew how deceiving and unreliable witnesses "the eyes and
277 Text|              rather suppose that this unwavering faith and devotion of popular
278 Text|       condemning in any way those who use the five senses, which again
279     | using
280 Text|           Disciple to the Teacher who vanquished death. Such total surrender
281 Text|               final question. How, in view of all these positive and
282 Text|           soul. In addition, since he wanted to be honest both with himself
283 Text|               this beatitude the Lord wants to remind His Disciples
284 Text|              who at a moment of human weakness denied Christ, was not characterised ~
285     | What
286     | while
287     | whole
288 Text|            most tender and expressive women who first saw the Lord.
289 Text|           impression in the Christian world, we must examine more carefully,
290 Text|            due official honour in the worship of the Church. ~ ~
291 Text|             and fingers into the open wounds of Christ so that he might
292 Text|             Surely, something must be wrong with the whole question.
293 Text|             during the three official years of the earthly life of the