Appointed Scripture for this day: Judge 6: 36-40 Psalm 139: 1-12 Ephesians 4: 7, 11-16 St. John 20: 24-29
All four Gospels mention St. Thomas as one of the twelve disciples of Jesus. John’s Gospel, which names him “the Twin,” uses Thomas’s questions to reveal truths about Jesus. It is Thomas who says, “Lord, we do not know where You are going. How can we know the way?” To this question Jesus replies, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life” (John 14:5-6). John’s Gospel also tells how Thomas, on the evening of the day of Jesus’ resurrection, doubts the report of the disciples that they had seen Jesus. Later, “doubting Thomas” becomes “believing Thomas” when he confesses Jesus as “my Lord and my God” (John20:24-29). According to tradition, Thomas traveled eastward after Pentecost, eventually reaching India, where still today a group of people call themselves “Christians of St. Thomas.” Thomas was martyred for the faith by being speared to death.
The Great “O” Antiphon:
O Dayspring, splendor of light everlasting: Come and enlighten those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death.
(Collect and Intro from The Treasury of Daily Prayer, Concordia Publishing House)
Reflection on St. Thomas and this Verse:
Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed. St.John 20: 29
We may think that our Lord’s only Beatitudes are those recorded in St. Matthew 5 at the beginning of His Sermon on the Mount. No, they are throughout the Gospels including this one to Thomas and us all. In a sense, Thomas was privileged in his doubt to be an example of the maxim “seeing is believing”. But our Lord’s beatitude directs us to the more Biblical understanding of the centrality of the Word of God: hearing is believing.
14How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” (Romans 10)
The Lord was preparing Thomas and his brethren for the apostolic Ministry of preaching and teaching the Word of God, the Word of His Gospel to repentant sinners for many to hear and so believe. Even what Thomas and the apostles saw that first evening of the new creation were wounds of a crucifixion. Not glorious by any stretch of worldly imaginations but glorious in love’s pure light who died for sinners…as Thomas, as you, making faith. His wounds are preached scars of our forgiveness in the One Who alone is the way, the truth and life, no one else, as Thomas also heard. This feast day is just days before Christmas. We come to the manger with many scars. The angel told the shepherds the sign of the Christ, King of all: lying in a feeding trough (manger) wrapped in swaddling cloths. He would bear our scars of iniquity and darkness. And Thomas was called to preach His wounds! In His Wounds Tomas saw love’s pure light. Thomas’ eyes were blessed in seeing but his feet were beautiful in the sermon he preached: Jesus Christ.
Crown him the Lord of love.
Behold his hands and side,
Rich wounds, yet visible above,
In beauty glorified.
No angels in the sky
Can fully bear that sight,
But downward bend their burning eyes
At mysteries so bright.
Rev. Edward Shillito was an English minister who survived the horrors of artillery, machine guns, and trench warfare during World War I. I think his poem Jesus of the Scars is a fine commentary on Thomas and his faith in these dark days:
If we have never sought, we seek Thee now;
Thine eyes burn through the dark, our only stars;
We must have sight of thorn-pricks on Thy brow;
We must have Thee, O Jesus of the Scars.
The heavens frighten us; they are too calm;
In all the universe we have no place.
Our wounds are hurting us; where is the balm?
Lord Jesus, by Thy Scars we claim Thy grace.
If when the doors are shut, Thou drawest near,
Only reveal those hands, that side of Thine;
We know today what wounds are; have no fear;
Show us Thy Scars; we know the countersign.
The other gods were strong, but Thou wast weak;
They rode, but Thou didst stumble to a throne;
But to our wounds only God’s wounds can speak,
And not a god has wounds, but Thou alone.
Collect of the Day
Almighty and ever-living God, You strengthened Your apostle Thomas with firm and certain faith in the resurrection of Your Son. Grant us such faith in Jesus Christ, our Lord and our God, that we may never be found wanting in Your sight; through the same Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Concordia and Koinonia 
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