The Shepherd, April 2009
On The Apostle Thomas
A Homily By Saint Philaret of New York the New Confessor
Translated from “The Fiery Pillar”
Which was Compiled by the Nun Cassia
and Published in 2007 in Saint Petersburg
THE HOLY ORTHODOX CHURCH is now combining the celebration of the Resurrection with the festive commemoration of the holy Apostle Thomas, which is why, thanks to this [combination of feasts], characteristically the Gospel that was read at the Vigil yesterday evening is now repeated at the Liturgy - a thing which rarely happens - and this is in honour of the Apostle Thomas. [This indicates that this sermon was not preached on Thomas Sunday itself, but on the feast of St Thomas (6th/19th October) which must have then fallen on a Sunday - transl.]
The expression, “Well, I am a doubting Thomas,” is often used in life, in day-to-day speak, and it means: I am not over ready to believe. The person who says this, however, as a rule does not fully comprehend the actual essence of the unbelief of Thomas, which the Church in her prayer services even calls “the good unbelief of Thomas” (from the service of Thomas Sunday). When we read those portions in the Holy Gospel which speak of the holy Apostle Thomas, we see before us in the person of this Apostle a man who is a sceptic. For instance, when, before the resurrection of Lazarus, the Lord Jesus Christ said to His Apostles, “Let us go into Judæa again, “ - then the Apostle Thomas said to the other Apostles, “Let us also go, that we may die with him” (Jn 11:7, 16). In these words, there if a combination of, on the one hand, the unconditional love of the apostolic heart, prepared to die with the beloved Teacher, and, at the same time, a certain sceptical lack of trust: will something come out of this journey, will its outcome not only be the death of the beloved Teacher and of His disciples? Then mark, at the Mystical Supper, in conversing with the Apostles, the Lord says to them that the way He is going they know: “And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.” But then follows Thomas’ reply: “Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?” (Jn 14:4-5), or rather: we do not know where Thou goest, and so how can we know that? And finally we have the report about the touching of the Divine side by the Apostle Thomas. The Apostle Thomas, who had not yet seen the Risen Teacher, when he heard of it from the assembled Apostles of His Resurrection, replied in this way: “Except I shall see in His hands the print of the nails, I will not believe. Except I thrust my hand into that dreadful wound, which is near His side, I will not believe” (cf. Jn 20:25-26). A week passes. The Apostle still cannot believe it all. How gloomy, in truth, that oppressive week must have been for him! The other Apostles rejoiced and were glad, but he did not trust it all. After a week, the Lord appeared to the disciples, - and Thomas was among them, - and having said “Peace be unto you,” He addressed Thomas, paraphrasing the very words which he had used in refusing to believe: “Reach hither thy finger, behold My wounds. Reach hither thy hand, thrust it into My side, and be not faithless but believing” (cf. Jn 20:27). Then from the Apostle’s mouth, wrung from his very heart, came that most splendid confession, to which the Apostle Thomas was faithful even unto death - the Apostle Thomas cried out, “My Lord and my God!” Every shadow of doubt then vanished from his soul.
Why does the Church call his unbelief good? Because, brethren, Thomas loved his Teacher, just as all the Apostles loved Him, - grant unto us also, O Lord, one hundredth of that love that was in the hearts of the Apostles. When the Lord died upon the Cross, then for the Apostles, as it is said, the sun went out throughout the world. Then, for them it became dread, dark and chill. They knew Whom they had lost. Thomas could not believe, for him the world was empty, without faith, without his Teacher. His heart too greatly thirsted for that faith, in which there was no shadow of doubt, because his Teacher was so dear to him. And the truth of His teaching concerning the resurrection was too dear to the Apostle. And this is why the Church calls this unbelief good, because therein it is manifest that although the Apostle was unable to believe with his mind, yet in his heart and soul he was faithful to his Teacher. Is it so in our days? Are those who say, “I am a doubting Thomas” like the Apostle Thomas? Usually their unbelief and the unbelief of the Apostle Thomas are as far apart as East and West, as Heaven from earth.
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