Second Easter Sunday (Year C)

We read the famous story of Doubtful/Doubting Thomas today. But Fr. Martin gave us a new perspective to look at the story as well as our life.

Previously, two incidents were assigned to Thomas.
First of all, Jesus had tarried a while before going to raise Lazarus from the dead. When he went, Jesus made it clear that his delay was for the good of the disciples. Only Thomas' reaction was recorded.
Then Jesus told them plainly, "Lazarus is dead;
and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him."
Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, "Let us also go, that we may die with him." (John 11:14-16)
I don't think Thomas meant to be serious. He was making a pun. Of course Thomas had no intention to die. His remark was open to interpretations. I would hypothesize that Thomas was expressing his disbelief in the death of Lazarus in a sarcastic way.
Later in the Last Supper when Jesus told the apostles that he would leave them to prepare rooms for them in his Father's house, Thomas asked Jesus a question, eliciting the most quoted line in the Bible.
Thomas said to him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?"
Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me." (John 14:5-6)
What can we say about Thomas? Was he a doubtful or a practical man?

Here, we have a most pragmatic line from Thomas. Thomas was probably sent out scouting the movements of the Jewish authority. He was not with the other apostles when Jesus appeared in the first Easter evening.
So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand in his side, I will not believe." (John 20:25)
Eight days later, Jesus appeared again and Thomas was there. Fr. Martin pointed out how Jesus accommodated himself to the demand of Thomas.
Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side; do not be faithless, but believing." (John 20:27)
Of course, Thomas dared not put his fingers where he demanded. He believed and answered "My Lord and my God." (Acts 20:28)

Fr. Martin told us that if we demand others to change, we are working against a lot of obstacles. We have to double our efforts but obtain half the expected results. Instead, we should change ourselves. Then putting half the effort and we will obtain double the results. He told us a story of a taxi cleaner turned driver.
When a tourist got into a taxi, he was very much impressed by the tidiness and decorations in the taxi. The taxi was so comfortable. He could not help but asked the driver. The driver told the tourist that he was once a cleaner of taxi, and most of the taxis were very dirty after service. So, he vowed that once he became a taxi driver, he would make his taxi clean and comfortable. He made it. Throughout his driving career, his clients had never disappointed him. They kept his taxi very tidy and clean.

Fr. Martin concluded that we should be accommodating and considerate. Don't ever try to change others. Change yourself, your attitude and your behaviour. Others will not resist you. They will be most willing to cooperate with you. Jesus did not work one more miracle to convince Thomas. He just accommodated himself to Thomas' demand and Thomas changed without his demand satisfied.
Thank you Fr. Martin for helping us see the same story in a new perspective.

Dear Lord, help us change ourselves to be more accommodating for the good of our neighbour. Amen.