The Introduction
Thomas is the practical apostle. He had very little religious imagination. As we know, he couldn’t invest himself in the resurrection of Jesus without hands-on-experience of it. Here, we find that he isn’t going to buy into the reign of God unless he can find it on Google Maps. And Jesus humours him by offering him something better than a roadmap: himself.
Jesus is the way. What does that mean? A generation ago, Christian bumper stickers read, ‘One Way,’ with an arrow pointing upwards. But maybe a more theologically accurate sign would point THROUGH – through the heart of the world, into the depths of our humanity until we find that central spot where the Spirit dwells in us. It takes a lot of stillness, a lot of contemplation and quiet, to find that place. We can contemplate the world, in its beauty and suffering, or our own lives, or Scripture or the image of the cross. The mystery of the Kingdom is not ‘up’ from here, but in our midst. We are the Body of Christ. If we’re looking for Jesus, and the way, the yellow brick road starts right here.
Where do you go to find stillness? Choose an hour of meditation this week. Contemplate any image that leads you to the Holy. From where you are in your life right now, let Jesus show you the way.
The Scripture (John 14:6)
Jesus said, ‘I am the road, also the truth, also the life. No one gets to God except through me’.
The Connection
Have you ever been lost? It can be an alarming experience. In these days of satellite navigation systems, there are many technological aids to help us find our way to where we want to go. But sometimes a bit of human support and help, and maybe the experience of someone who personally knows the route, is what we’d rather have.
It doesn’t always work like that. A story tells of a couple of tourists who were spending an idyllic few days on holiday in the country. They enjoyed walking the rural roads and byways. But one day they wandered so far that they had no idea how to find their way back to the hotel where they were staying. The daylight hours were nearing the end, and they were relieved suddenly to spot an old man sitting in the doorway of his cottage enjoying the evening sun. Explaining their predicament, and where they needed to get back to, they asked for directions. The old man thought for a few moments, shook his head slowly, and said, ‘Ah, I know the place you mean. The trouble is, if you want to get there, you wouldn’t want to be starting from here’.
The Commissioning
Go confidently as followers of the way of Jesus
We will visit the sick.
We will encourage the downhearted.
We will offer hope to the despairing.
We will comfort the bereaved.
We will inspire the dispirited.
We will respond to the questions of the doubters.
We will show justice for the forsaken.
We will celebrate with the joyful.
Amen.
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