Today is St Thomas’s Day. It often seems that Thomas gets a bad press, spending history consigned as a doubting sceptic when his journey is one of immense courage, faith and leadership. He is someone to emulate not to pity; to admire not to denigrate; to learn from not criticise; to include not banish.

The Gospels do not tell us much about Thomas Didymus, meaning ‘the twin’. Answering the call to follow Jesus, Thomas showed himself to be a courageous, loyal and obedient disciple with a lively intellect. He showed his willingness to be vulnerable by asking questions including that which enabled Jesus to respond with one of the most significant theological statements ever uttered: ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me’ (John 14:6).

THOMAS: FROM DOUBT TO AFFIRMATION

We are not told why Thomas was not with the others when they were first visited by the risen Lord. Can you imagine how hard it must have been for him to make sense of their garbled excited joy and rejoicing? We know in our own age of fake news and echo chambers that making sense of information bombarded at us is not easy. What sources do we trust? The disciples’ WhatsApp group would have been lighting up cyberspace. The women at the tomb were right. Jesus had risen: a huge development, maybe the greatest in history but Thomas had missed out big time and left wanting to believe, but unable to overcome doubt, he displays the courage and integrity to demand evidence for himself. Think of the sole juror standing in the way of a unanimous verdict. Never be afraid to voice your doubts, through them we grow.

Answering his prayers, Jesus returns and Thomas gets to see him with his own eyes, hear him with his own ears, speak to him with his own voice, touch him with his own fingers and feel him with his own hands. Through his wounds, Thomas knows him. He responds. He believes. He is transformed.

THOMAS THE APOSTLE: NEXT STEPS

His encounter with the Risen Lord proved a new beginning as we hear of Thomas’s presence at the most significant events for the earliest Christian community. With Jesus revealing himself through signs and wonders and the breaking of bread, Thomas and the others devoted themselves to fellowship and prayer. Pentecost was to be the spark that ignited mission beyond frontiers as the Apostles set out in faith.

THOMAS: (MAR THOMA) MISSIONARY TO MARTYR

Early scholars record that in 52AD Thomas arrived by sea on the Eastern coast of India at a place called Muziris in Kerala. He is credited as being the one who brought the message to Hindus and Jews, won thousands of converts, baptized new believers, taught new disciples, and planted churches which grew into denominations. He was martyred in 72AD: killed by a spear when praying on a mountainside at Chennai. His tomb at the San Thome Basilica became a place of pilgrimage and adoration with millions of visitors each year.

Many of the staff here in our nursing home are from Kerala. Most are Christians and some identify themselves as Mar Thoma Christians. The Indian community here have planted new churches, refreshed existing denominations and brought their rich language and culture, developing communities as missiology in action, ecumenical in practice. They embody their trinitarian values and character in the way they live out their faith in community including caring for us.

The Mar Thoma Church itself has planted churches and rooted communities worldwide, and the influence of St Thomas Christians can also be found across Roman Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox and Pentecostal denominations. This rich diversity is seen as something to treasure not to resist. They describe themselves as people of prayer and sacrament. In conversation they have an openness and genuine excitement about faith and Church. It is the Mar Thoma staff who have supported this Communion service, who assure me of their prayers and explain that their caring nature comes from how they would treat members of their own family in a similar position. It is a privilege to know this community and hear their stories.

All Kerala staff here, whether Christian or not, recognise the place St Thomas holds in the history of their great nation. Today they celebrate and we celebrate with them. From doubting disciple to Apostle to India, may his spirit live on in us. Have a blessed St Thomas’s Day. Amen.