When I joined the Orthodox Church 23 years ago while at Oral Roberts University, I was leaving the charismatic tradition I had grown up in. I had been reading everything I could from the Church Fathers, and the life and writings of St. Maximos the Confessor really resonated with me. As a cocky 19 year old theology major, I found a kindred spirit with a saint who had endured brutal treatment and stood as the only voice of true Orthodoxy amidst a sea of heretical doctrines, so I was chrismated with the Christian name Maximos. Did I mention youthful pride is something I have since repented of?
Fast forward 15 years and as I was preparing for my ordination to the diaconate, I had a deep draw I couldn't shake - I felt as though I was being pulled closer to St. Thomas, my namesake. Instead of having the faith of St. Maximos who had his hand cut off and his tongue removed, I was more honest with myself and I realized I was still asking to put my hands in the scars of Christ. I'll tell the rest of my story and draw to St. Thomas in the future, but suffice it to say after talking to my bishop at the time, I was ordained as Thomas.
I have a love for St. Thomas. The Scriptures tell us little about his life, but we learn from tradition that he was an influential Apostle who spread the Gospel far into East before his martyrdom. We have so much to learn from the short encounters with him in the Gospels, so much so that universally the Church, East and West, remembers the first Sunday after Easter as St. Thomas Sunday.
St. Thomas Sunday
While we are still celebrating the joy of the resurrection of Christ and Easter/Pascha, the start of the second week of Eastertide focuses on St. Thomas's encounter with Christ.
St. John tells us the Apostles had seen Christ but St. Thomas wasn't with them. When he was told about Jesus's return, St. Thomas said, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe” (John 20:25, ESV). St. Thomas would have to wait a full 8 days before he had the opportunity.
When Jesus appears in the room with the Apostles, He invites Thomas to touch His wounds. Christ had physically, not just spiritually, raised from the dead and bore the scars of His crucifixion to prove it!
The encounter between St. Thomas and Christ is a poignant moment in Christian history. The Apostle's insistence on physical proof underscores our human longing for tangible evidence. Yet, it also emphasizes the transformative power of encountering the divine.
A Great Profession of Faith.
Because of his questioning, history has given him the nickname Doubting Thomas, a term we use for skeptical people. If we're being honest, nearly all of the Apostles lost faith - St. John was the only one who stood at Christ's cross with His mother and the women disciples, St. Peter denied Christ, the disciples weren't too sure about the testimony of the women from teh tomb, and the disciples walking didn't recognize Christ because they didn't fully understand or believe His words.
After touching Christ, St. Thomas gives us the single most poingent profession of faith in who Christ is when he says, "My Lord and my God!" (John 20:28). This exclamation, far from expressing skepticism, is a bold affirmation of Christ's divinity and lordship.
Remember St. Thomas This Sunday
The universality of the remembrance of St. Thomas on the first Sunday after Easter in the is a testament to the importance of these 5 verses in St. John's Gospel. It reminds us that faith is not just a blind acceptance, but an active and on going conversion marked by questions, doubts, and epiphanies in our own lives.
St. Thomas's journey from doubt to faith serves as a powerful model for all of us. It encourages us to seek, question, and ultimately, to discover the truth of Christ's resurrection for ourselves. And, just as importantly, shows that Christ is ready to meet us where we are, just like He met St. Thomas.
The path of faith does not always run smoothly, but as St. Thomas demonstrates, it can deepen our understanding and commitment.
Universality of the Church
Another thing I love about preparing for Thomas Sunday in the Anglican Tradition is that it is familia
r. I've observed Thomas Sunday for the past 23 years and willa gain this year. It underscores the shared Christian belief in Christ's physical resurrection, and transcends all cultural barriers. Eastern and Western Christian traditions, despite their differences, unite in commemorating this momentous event, recognizing its pivotal role in affirming Christ's divinity and the reality of His resurrection. It is a point of convergence and unity that has stood through the schisms and divisions.
Thomas Sunday is more than just a historical event in our Christian liturgical calendar; it is a testament to the transformative power of faith. I hope it challenges the traditional view of 'Doubting Thomas' and invites us to see him in a different light — a seeker of truth, a questioner, and ultimately, a believer who made one of the most powerful confessions of faith in Christian history.
As we reflect on our faith journeys, may we find inspiration in St. Thomas's story and courageously echo his words, "My Lord and My God."
days before he had the opportunity.
When Jesus appears in the room with the Apostles, He invites Thomas to touch His wounds. Christ had physically, not just spiritually, raised from the dead and bore the scars of His crucifixion to prove it!
The collect for Easter 2, from the Book of Common Prayer 1979, beautifully encapsulates this profound encounter. The prayer reads: "Almighty and everlasting God, who in the Paschal mystery established the new covenant of reconciliation: Grant that all who have been reborn into the fellowship of Christ’s Body may show forth in their lives what they profess by their faith." This prayer connects us to the narrative of Thomas Sunday, urging us to live out our faith as tangibly as Thomas experienced the resurrected Christ.
The encounter between St. Thomas and Christ is a poignant moment in Christian history. The Apostle's insistence on physical proof underscores our human longing for tangible evidence. Yet, it also emphasizes the transformative power of encountering the divine.
The Great Profession of Faith
Because of his questioning, history has given him the nickname 'Doubting Thomas', a term we use for skeptical people. If we're being honest, nearly all of the Apostles lost faith - St. John was the only one who stood at Christ's cross with His mother and the women disciples, St. Peter denied Christ, the disciples weren't too sure about the testimony of the women from the tomb, and the disciples walking didn't recognize Christ because they didn't fully understand or believe His words.
After touching Christ, St. Thomas gives us the single most poignant profession of faith in who Christ is when he says, "My Lord and my God!" (John 20:28). This exclamation, far from expressing skepticism, is a bold affirmation of Christ's divinity and lordship.
Remember St. Thomas This Sunday
The universality of the remembrance of St. Thomas on the first Sunday after Easter is a testament to the importance of these 5 verses in St. John's Gospel. It reminds us that faith is not just a blind acceptance, but an active and ongoing conversion. It serves as a poignant reminder that faith is not a blind acceptance but an active, ongoing conversion marked by questions, doubts, and epiphanies in our own lives.
St. Thomas's journey from doubt to faith serves as a powerful model for all of us. It encourages us to seek, question, and ultimately, to discover the truth of Christ.
About Thom Crowe
Thom was ordained a deacon in the Orthodox Church before joining the Anglican tradition, works in tech marketing marketing, is dad to a sweet little girl, and husband to a great wife who runs the Made Shop. He's an avid reader, beer aficionado, lover of theology and history, and insufferable coffee snob. Thom says he has a pretty happy life in Tulsa, OK.