Sometimes Jesus is as if he is not present!

John 20:24-27

24 One of the twelve disciples, Thomas (called the Twin), was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”

Thomas said to them, “Unless I see the scars of the nails in his hands and put my finger on those scars and my hand in his side, I will not believe.”

26 A week later the disciples were together again indoors, and Thomas was with them. The doors were locked, but Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands; then reach out your hand and put it in my side. Stop your doubting, and believe!”

Food for thought!

A closer look at this Gospel tells us what Jesus told us yesterday. You remember, in yesterday's gospel reading, "Jesus was sound asleep" in a boat that was being tossed up and down. He was as if he was not present.

Today, it is the same thing Jesus telling Thomas, and us all, that sometimes he is as if he is not present; sometimes he is like MIA. Notice that when he came the first time, Thomas was not around, and when his friends told him, "We have seen the Lord", Thomas said in reply, “Unless I see the scars of the nails in his hands and put my finger on those scars and my hand in his side, I will not believe.”

One week after, all the disciples were there, including Thomas. When Jesus showed up, he turned to Thomas and told him exactly the words Thomas said to his friends: “Put your finger here, and look at my hands; then reach out your hand and put it in my side."

The question: who told Jesus what Thomas said? The answer? No one. How did Jesus come to know about Thomas' words? The answer is that Jesus himself was there when Thomas was saying what he said; Jesus was not only seeing Thomas, he was listening to him as well. In other words, Jesus was as if he was not there. That Thomas could not see him does not mean that He could not see Thomas. Do you remember the plaque that used to be in our parents' home that reads, “Christ is the head of this house, the Unseen Guest at every meal, the Silent Listener to every conversation”? As we celebrate today Thomas' feast, we pray for the awareness of Jesus in our lives 24 hours / 7 days.

The Bible says:

Hebrews 4:13

There is no creature hidden from his sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.

Luke 12:7

He knows everything about you. (Luke 12:7).

Psalm 33:13-15

The Lord looks down from heaven; he sees all the children of man; from where he sits enthroned he looks out on all the inhabitants of the earth, he who fashions the hearts of them all and observes all their deeds.

Job 34:21

For his eyes are on the ways of a man, and he sees all his steps.

John 2:24

But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people.

Psalm 90:8

You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence.