Load shedding: a new view

JESUS’ disciple, Thomas, was not a man to be fooled.

He needed to be convinced before he would accept any statement. He questioned Jesus at the Last Supper when he needed clarity when Jesus had warned that he would be leaving shortly. In fact he earned the name Doubting Thomas. When Jesus proposed earlier to return to the dangers of Judah, Thomas spoke up and was prepared to die with Jesus, but when the Temple guards arrived to arrest Jesus he fled with the rest.

From a distance he saw Jesus’ execution on the Roman cross. That must have devastated him.

He was following a leader he hoped would transform the nation, who spoke words of wisdom and had performed miracles of healing, even raising the dead. Now Jesus had been cruelly killed and his corpse left in a rock tomb. Thomas was weighed down by hopelessness and disillusionment. He went off on his own to grieve. He was not there when the risen, living Jesus appeared to the other disciples and filled them with peace. He didn’t believe for a moment when they told him of this world-changing event or of the other disciples who had also seen Jesus alive. He said: “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my fingers where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it.

A week later he was with the disciples and Jesus came again to them. He invited Thomas to feel his wounds, but Thomas at once saw and believed. He answered: “My Lord and my God!” His grief was gone, his hope returned, his life was turned around and the load of grief and doubt was shed for ever. Jesus told him: “Because you have seen me, you have believed: blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” We can share that blessing. Read of this encounter in John’s Gospel 20:24 – 29.

Thomas later went to South India and told people the good news that they could have their consciences cleared of past wrong-doing, come to know the presence of God in their lives and have certainty about their eternal destiny with Jesus in heaven. This message of spiritual load shedding resulted in the formation of the church that bears Thomas’ name to this day in that part of India.