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Pope Benedict XVI- Audiences |
General Audience
The Apostle Thomas: "His Question Gives Us the Right … to Ask
Jesus for Explanations"
H.H. Benedict XVI
September 27, 2006
www.zenit.org
Dear
Brothers and Sisters:
Continuing with our encounters with the Twelve Apostles chosen
directly by Jesus, today we dedicate our attention to Thomas. Always
present in the four lists of the New Testament, he is presented in
the first three Gospels next to Matthew (cf. Matthew 10:3; Mark
3:18; Luke 6:15), while in the Acts of the Apostles he appears next
to Philip (cf. Acts 1:13). His name stems from a Hebrew root, "ta'am,"
which means "twin." In fact, John's Gospel calls him sometimes with
the nickname "Didymus" (cf. John 11:16; 20:24; 21:2), which in Greek
means precisely "twin." The reason for this name is not clear.
The fourth Gospel, in particular, gives us some information which
offers us some significant characteristics of his personality. The
first is the exhortation he made to the other apostles when Jesus,
at a critical moment of his life, decided to go to Bethany to raise
Lazarus, thus coming dangerously close to Jerusalem (cf. Mark
10:32). On that occasion, Thomas said to his fellow disciples: "Let
us also go, that we may die with him" (John 11:16). His
determination when it came to following the Master is truly
exemplary and gives us a precious teaching: It reveals the total
willingness of adherence to Jesus to the point of identifying his
own fate with His, and of wanting to share with Him the supreme
trial of death.
In fact, what is most important is never to distance oneself from
Jesus. When the Gospels use the verb "follow," they intend to
explain that wherever he goes, his disciple must also go. Thus,
Christian life is defined as a life with Jesus Christ, a life that
must be spent with him. St. Paul wrote something similar when he
calmed Christians of Corinth with these words: "You are in our
hearts, to die together and to live together" (2 Corinthians 7:3).
What is true between the Apostle and his Christians must also be
true above all in the relationship between Christians and Jesus
himself: to die together, to live together, to be in his heart as he
is in ours.
A second intervention of Thomas is recorded in the Last Supper. On
that occasion, Jesus, predicting his imminent departure, announces
that he will go to prepare a place for the disciples so that they
will also be where he is; and he specifies: "And you know the way
where I am going" (John 14:4). Then Thomas intervenes, saying:
"Lord, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?"
(John 14:5).
In reality, with these words he places himself in a rather low level
of understanding, but [his words] offer Jesus the opportunity to
utter the famous definition: "I am the Way, and the Truth, and the
Life" (John 14:6). Therefore, in the first instance, he makes this
revelation to Thomas, but it is valid for all of us and for all
times. Every time we hear or read these words, we can be in thought
next to Thomas and imagine that the Lord also speaks with us as he
spoke with him.
At the same time, his question also gives us the right, so to speak,
to ask Jesus for explanations. We often do not understand him. We
must have the courage to say to him: I do not understand you, Lord,
hear me, help me to understand. In this way, with such frankness,
which is the authentic way to pray, to converse with Jesus, we
express the littleness of our capacity to understand, but at the
same time we assume the attitude of trust of one who expects light
and strength from the one able to give them.
Then, very well known, even proverbial, is the scene of Thomas'
incredulity, which took place eight days after Easter. Initially, he
did not believe that Jesus had appeared in his absence and had said:
"Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and place my
finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand in his side, I
will not believe" (John 20:25). Deep down, from these words emerges
the conviction that Jesus is no longer recognized by his face, but
rather by the wounds. Thomas believes that the characteristic signs
of Jesus' identity are now above all his wounds, in which is
revealed to what point he has loved us. In this the apostle is not
mistaken.
As we know, eight days later, Jesus again appears to his disciples
and on this occasion Thomas is present. And Jesus says to him: "Put
your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place
it in my side; do not be faithless, but believing" (John 20:27).
Thomas reacts with the most splendid profession of faith of the New
Testament: "My Lord and my God!" (John 20:28). In this connection,
St. Augustine comments: Thomas "saw and touched the man, but
confessed his faith in God, whom he did not see or touch. But what
he saw and touched led him to believe that which until then he had
doubted" ("In Iohann" 121, 5). The evangelist continues with one
last phrase of Jesus addressed to Thomas: "Have you believed because
you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet
believe" (John 20:29).
This phrase can also be enunciated in the present: "Blessed are
those who do not see and believe." In any case, Jesus enunciates
here a fundamental principle for Christians who will come after
Thomas, that is, for all of us. It is interesting to observe how
another Thomas, the great medieval theologian from Aquino, joins
this blessedness with another referred to by Luke that seems
opposed: "Blessed are the eyes that see what you see!" (Luke 10:23).
However, Thomas Aquinas comments: "He has much more merit who
believes without seeing than he who seeing, believes" ("In Iohann.
XX lectio" VI paragraph 2566). In fact, the Letter to the Hebrews,
recalling all the series of ancient biblical patriarchs, who
believed in God without seeing the fulfillment of his promises,
defines faith as "guarantee of what is hoped for; the proof of
realities that are not seen" (11:1).
The case of the Apostle Thomas is important for us at least for
three reasons: first, because it consoles us in our insecurities;
second, because it shows us that every doubt can have a luminous end
beyond any uncertainty; and, finally, because the words that Jesus
addressed to him remind us of the authentic meaning of mature faith
and encourages us to continue, despite the difficulties, on the path
of fidelity to Him.
The fourth Gospel has preserved for us a last note on Thomas, on
presenting him as witness of the Risen One in the moment after the
miraculous catch on the Lake of Tiberias (cf. John 21:2). On that
occasion, he is mentioned also immediately after Simon Peter: an
evident sign of the notable importance that he enjoyed in the ambit
of the first Christian communities. In fact, in his name, were later
written the "Acts" and the "Gospel of Thomas," both apocryphal, but
in any case important for the study of Christian origins.
Let us recall, finally, that according to an ancient tradition,
Thomas evangelized in the first instance Syria and Persia (so says
Origen, as referred by Eusebius of Caesarea, "Hist. eccl." 3,1) and
later went as far as western India (cf. "Acts of Thomas" 1-2: 17 and
following), from where Christianity also later reached the south of
India. We end our reflection with this missionary perspective,
hoping that Thomas' example will increasingly confirm our faith in
Jesus Christ, our Lord and our God.
[Translation by ZENIT]
[At the end of the audience, the Pope greeted pilgrims in several
languages. In English, he said:]
Dear Brothers and Sisters:
Continuing our catechesis on the apostles, I wish to reflect today
on Thomas the Twin. It is most especially in John's Gospel that we
learn about Thomas. At a dangerous time in our Lord's life, when he
decided to visit Lazarus in Bethany, it was Thomas who said: "Let us
also go, that we may die with him." He shows us that the most
important thing is never to distance oneself from Jesus. The life of
a Christian is one spent together with the Lord.
At the Last Supper, it is Thomas who says: "Lord, we do not know
where you are going, so how can we know the way?" His question leads
to the celebrated response: "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life."
Jesus also proclaims these words to us today.
A further episode in Thomas' life is well known to us all: that of
the "doubting Thomas," who says "unless I see in his hands the print
of the nails, and place my finger in the mark of the nails ... I
will not believe." Yet, once Jesus appears to him he utters the most
splendid profession of faith in all the New Testament: "My Lord and
my God!"
Let us take heart from the life of Thomas: He comforts us in our
uncertainty; shows us that doubt can lead to spiritual growth, and
he helps us learn from Jesus the true meaning of mature faith,
encouraging us to persevere as disciples of Christ!
I welcome all the English-speaking pilgrims present today, including
participants in the Pauline Colloquium, Friends of L'Osservatore
Romano, and the Villa Maria College choir from Christchurch, New
Zealand. I also greet in a special way the Asian Mission Congress
Delegates and Pilgrims from Thailand. Upon all of you I invoke God's
blessings of peace and joy!
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